Politicians Keep Busy By Signing Pledges

Jude Seymour
Daily Courier-Observer
July 9, 2010

CANTON - With the majority of New Yorkers telling pollsters that the state is headed in the wrong direction, four newcomers to state politics here are signing pledges promising to make government more equitable, more responsible and more honest.

Local incumbents said they've been trying to do that for the past two years.

Patricia A. Ritchie, a Republican candidate in the 48th Senate District, was the first to announce Wednesday that she had signed three pledges from NY Uprising, a reform-minded group founded by former New York City mayor Edward Koch.

Three candidates promptly followed suit: Democrat Brian S. McGrath and Republican Kenneth D. Blankenbush, both seeking the 122nd Assembly District seat and David W. Forsythe, a Republican candidate in the 118th Assembly District.

They all promised, if elected, to help create:

• A state ethics commission with subpoena power that can investigate and sanction any elected or public official or candidate for ethics violations.

• A new annual financial disclosure form that requires all elected public officials and candidates to disclose all their sources of income and debt and to disclose their clients if they are a lawyer, broker or involved in any professional services business.

• Regulations that prohibit campaign donations from any group that solicits state business.

• An independent, non-partisan redistricting commission to draft maps for the Legislature to review and approve.

• An independent budget office to report on the state's financial health.

• Measurements to help policymakers determine what programs are effective and what to budget for them.

• A five-year financial plan to monitor the consequences of tax and spending decisions..

Michael Hennessy, a Sherill Democrat running for the 47th Senate District, said he is "supportive of the ideas," but has not seen the particulars of the plan.

Mark A. Pacilio, chief of staff for Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, said his boss also has not looked over the pledge.

"Her record speaks to a lot of these reforms," he said. "The Assembly has already passed ethics reform. They did campaign finance reform. She's also taken action in the Assembly toward fair redistricting."

But Mr. Forsythe, Mrs. Russell's Republican opponent, said North Country residents "are tired of tough talk, especially around election time."

"By signing the pledge, I give a serious commitment and not just lip services to much needed reform in Albany," he added.

Andrew G. Mangione, a spokesman for state Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine, said the Cape Vincent Democrat would not join Mrs. Ritchie in making a written promise.

"There's no question the reforms that have been passed in the last year were long overdue and more needs to be done, which is why Senator Aubertine has been one of the senate's strongest advocates for reform," he said.

"Rather than signing pledges, which there are quite a few out there, the senator has instead chosen to work toward these goals in the senate by voting for, implementing, sponsoring and pushing for the reform that New York state government needs."

Mr. Mangione noted that his boss had co-sponsored Senate legislation to create an independent redistricting commission, a bill that would have strengthened ethics and campaign finance laws, and a bill to enact performance based budgeting - all of which were touted as goals by New York Uprising.

Mrs. Ritchie said "New Yorkers know that Albany is broken and they are demanding change."

Sixty-five percent of those surveyed in a Siena Institute poll last month said the state was heading in the wrong direction, with 18 percent saying they thought it was going the right way.

Mr. Blankenbush said he's heard a "public outcry for open, ethical state government."

The Assembly candidate added, "This is an opportunity for the voters to take back our state government from the three New York City leaders who have been running Albany into the ground. The pledge is a promise to voters that I have their interests at heart."

Mr. McGrath, his opponent, said the pledge was his way of saying "the status quo is unacceptable."

"Albany needs to be shaken up in a serious way," he said in a statement. "The days of tired, old career politicians carrying out 'politics as usual' must end and must end now."

Maria Pavelock, a second Democrat running for the 47th State Senate District, did not return an e-mail inquiry seeking comment.