When it comes to campaign finance, the voice of middle and working class New Yorkers is drowned out by the wealthy and well-connected.
"That needs to change," NYSUT Executive Vice President Andy Pallotta said in announcing NYSUT's support for an Assembly bill that would:
- require more disclosure of independent expenditure campaigns;
- adopt tougher standards for political advertising; and
- create a new, five-member board tasked with overseeing a public financing system and election laws.
If passed, the new board would investigate and refer matters for prosecution by the state attorney general.
Noting that several other fair election bills have been proposed, Pallotta said NYSUT is pushing the Assembly package because it "strikes a balance that allows challengers and incumbents to compete fairly on an even playing field in future elections, with reasonable limits on contributions and increased enforcement, administration and oversight of the election process."