Common Cause/NY on NYS Final Budget

NEW YORK, NY (04/09/2022) (readMedia)-- In response to lawmakers passing the New York State budget, Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause/NY issued the following statement:

"Another year in Albany, another budget done completely in the dark, with major policy matters negotiated in secret. While we are pleased to see pre-paid envelopes for absentee envelopes, siting of polling places on college campuses for election day, aid to localities for early voting and prepaid absentee envelopes in the final budget, the 'reforms' to JCOPE are in name only. Ethics reform – or really any policy – should not be funneled into a multi- billion dollar state budget without real public input. New Yorkers deserve transparency when it comes to how their tax dollars are spent, not backroom deals that keep them locked out while benefiting the wealthy."