Politics on the Hudson

In his State of the State address Wednesday, Gov. David Paterson will propose sweeping ethics and campaign-finance reforms, ranging from public financing of campaigns, term limits for state elected officials and a new ethics oversight panel.

The proposal was first reported this morning by the New York Times.

The proposal touches on about every reform talked about in Albany for decades, and many of the proposals are certain to face strong pushback from legislators, who would have to adopt the measures.

The state Capitol has had a series of scandals in recent years, from the resignation of Gov. Eliot Spitzer in 2008 after he solicited a prostitute, to the resignation of Comptroller Alan Hevesi in 2006 after he used aides to chauffer his wife.

Last month, former Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno was convicted on federal corruption charges for receiving money from companies who had business before the state.

Aides to the Democratic governor, who is seeking to regain public support as he runs for a full term, said today that ethics reform is a critical component of the state’s future—along with restoring its fiscal health. The plan is called the Reform Albany Act.

“The governor’s Reform Albany act shines a bright light on the shadow government that exists here, a shadow government made up of lobbyists and big-money special interests,” said Lawrence Schwartz, the governor’s top aide.

The plan would establish public financing of state offices and limit campaign contributions to $1,000, down from more than $55,000—currently one of the highest limits in the country.

Political parties’ housekeeping accounts—which currently have no contribution limit and can be used for party-building activities—would have a contribution limit of $1,000.

Paterson wants to change the state’s constitution to create term limits for state elected officials. State legislators would be limited to six, two-year terms, while statewide officials—governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and comptroller—would be limited to two four-year terms.

Lawmakers and statewide leaders would also have to disclose their outside income and business dealings.

The enforcement of campaign finance and ethics laws would fall to a new commission, something Paterson proposed last year. He wants to scrap the current Commission on Public Integrity and Legislative Ethics Commission, which have been criticized for lax enforcement.

Paterson also wants to put the state’s pension fund under the control of a board, instead of it being under the sole trusteeship of the state comptroller. Lawmakers convicted of a felony while in office would not be entitled to their state pension, as they are now.

The state Legislature has its own proposals on how to improve ethics laws among state lawmakers, but the sides have yet to reach an agreement.

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