Money for Nothing: Unshackle Upstate Criticizes Publicly Financed Political Campaigns Ahead of Commission Hearing
September 18th, 2019
Today in Albany, the un-elected New York State Public Campaign Financing Commission will hold their second meeting to discuss a plan to spend $100 million of taxpayer money on political campaigns. According to an April 2019 poll conducted by the Siena Research Institute, 63 percent of New Yorkers oppose public financing of political campaigns.
“Despite strong opposition from hardworking New Yorkers, Albany has empowered an unelected bureaucracy to dole out $100 million in public funds to political campaigns,” said Michael Kracker, executive director of Unshackle Upstate. “Rather than wasting taxpayer dollars on robocalls and lawn signs, Albany should be focused on fixing in our crumbling infrastructure, supporting important workforce development initiatives and advancing real property tax relief. The fact that Albany has prioritized taxpayer-funded campaigns over these critical issues should alarm New Yorkers across the state.”
Unshackle Upstate called on legislators to scrap a public financing system and invest taxpayer resources on an assortment of important measures:
Addressing critical infrastructure Issues:
– A recent TRIP Report found that eight percent of bridges in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls area are rated in poor/structurally deficient condition
– According to a 2017 report from Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, “many drinking water systems in New York are over 100 years old and operating far beyond their useful life.”
Reducing Mandates on Local Governments
– A report from New York State Association of Counties found that just 9 unfunded Albany mandates on counties account for 90% of the property tax levy on average.
Easing the Burden on New York Businesses
– According to the non-partisan Tax Foundation, New York has the 48th worst business tax climate in the nation in 2018.
In addition to today’s meeting in Albany, the Public Finance Reform Commission will meet on October 22 in Long Island and October 29 in Buffalo.