Statement from CFB Chair Rose Gill Hearn - December 17, 2015

The message from the back-to-back convictions in the Southern District of New York coming just 11 days apart of Albany’s two former legislative leaders rings true and clear: it is time for change. Lawmakers' first act in the coming legislative session should be passing meaningful ethics and campaign finance reforms. They should start by addressing campaign contribution limits and closing the so-called LLC loophole that renders existing limits meaningless. We believe that Albany would also benefit from a small-dollar public matching funds program like the one the CFB administers.

Governor Cuomo was able to pass parts of an ethics reforms package in the wake of the Silver and Skelos arrests earlier this year. However, good government advocates like Citizens Union and Common Cause believe those reforms do not go far enough. We agree.

New Yorker’s confidence in government has been shaken severely by these ongoing scandals and the trials that laid bare the pay-to-play culture that dominates Albany. Business as usual and paying lip service to reform just won’t cut it. If we want to restore voters’ faith in our system, we need our state leaders to set new standards in Albany, starting now.