Paterson To Pitch Major Ethics Reform In Albany

Photo Courtesy AP/Mike Groll

Gov. Paterson is expected to announce a series of far-reaching proposals to curb corruption in state government by launching term limits, establishing a system that will give matching funds to statewide candidates, and implementing campaign finance reform measures intended to reduce the power of lobbyists and corporations, the Times reports.

Under a broad reform package Paterson is expected to announce on Wednesday, statewide candidates — like those running in New York City races — could opt to receive public matching funds. New rules would bar lobbyists from contributing more than $250 to candidates, while corporations would be banned from giving entirely. The maximum amount individuals could donate would drop from $55,900 to $1,000, and a special independent commission designed to oversee the new finance and ethics rules would have greater regulation over the Democratic and Republican housekeeping accounts, "where special interests may now deposit five- and six-figure checks with few restrictions."

For folks in Albany, the most controversial part of the proposal might be the Governor's plan to amend the State Constitution to establish term limits capping the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and comptroller at two four-year terms each, and legislators at six two-year terms. For any of it to take effect, Paterson will need the support of the Assembly and the State Senate, where he's not particularly popular after calling out legislators for failing to cut as much as he requested from the budget. Critics say the only thing that seems to be missing from the ethics reform package is a stipulation requiring lawmakers to disclose their outside business arrangements — like the ones that brought down Former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno.