Common Cause/NY Slams Secretive Special Session

Uber deal demands proper vetting

NEW YORK, NY (12/23/2016)(readMedia)-- In response to news reports about a potential special session next week to address ride hailing and legislative pay raises, Common Cause/NY Executive Director Susan Lerner released the following statement.

"This frantic and secretive deal-making during the holiday season is an end run around the normal legislative process, creating a false urgency to act on Uber's behalf without proper vetting. Lawmakers need a chance to hold hearings, ask questions on the record, and hear from the public and relevant stakeholders in the light of day. It makes a Trump level mockery of our democracy to push through a bill that will bolster a $60 billion corporation without due consideration of the public interest. Combined with a pay raise bereft of any necessary ethics reform, this marks a new low for Albany. The Governor and the Legislature need to put New Yorkers first and proceed with the normal session beginning in January."