Is Ethics Reform Dead in Albany?

June 26, 2017. This article discusses the failure of lawmakers to implement ethical reforms that would prevent bid-rigging scandals in economic development contracts. The article discusses how Governor Cuomo is against the contract procurement bill and is proposing to hire a new inspector general who will work under him. Many are not happy with this decision and do not agree with the Governor’s proposal, including FPI’s Executive Director, Ron Deutsch.

Ron Deutsch, with the union backed think tank Fiscal Policy Institute, says it’s a missed opportunity.

“It’s another sad day in Albany,” said Deutsch. “We have the largest bid rigging scandal in state history, and we virtually ignored it.”

Deutsch says the bill currently in the legislature is what he calls a “common sense” measure. It would reinstate oversight of the procurement of economic development contracts to the State Comptroller. It has support from numerous government reform groups on the left and the right, as well as majority party sponsors in both houses of the legislature.

“If the Comptroller had that power, he would have caught some of the bid rigging issues that were being dealt with in these contracts,” Deutsch said. ”

Deutsch, with Fiscal Policy Institute, says an inspector under the authority of the governor would just not work.

“The governor’s proposal was preposterous,” said Deutsch. “It was a fox guarding the henhouse kind of approach.”

Here is the link to WXXI News.

Published On: June 26th, 2017|Categories: FPI in the News|

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June 26, 2017. This article discusses the failure of lawmakers to implement ethical reforms that would prevent bid-rigging scandals in economic development contracts. The article discusses how Governor Cuomo is against the contract procurement bill and is proposing to hire a new inspector general who will work under him. Many are not happy with this decision and do not agree with the Governor’s proposal, including FPI’s Executive Director, Ron Deutsch.

Ron Deutsch, with the union backed think tank Fiscal Policy Institute, says it’s a missed opportunity.

“It’s another sad day in Albany,” said Deutsch. “We have the largest bid rigging scandal in state history, and we virtually ignored it.”

Deutsch says the bill currently in the legislature is what he calls a “common sense” measure. It would reinstate oversight of the procurement of economic development contracts to the State Comptroller. It has support from numerous government reform groups on the left and the right, as well as majority party sponsors in both houses of the legislature.

“If the Comptroller had that power, he would have caught some of the bid rigging issues that were being dealt with in these contracts,” Deutsch said. ”

Deutsch, with Fiscal Policy Institute, says an inspector under the authority of the governor would just not work.

“The governor’s proposal was preposterous,” said Deutsch. “It was a fox guarding the henhouse kind of approach.”

Here is the link to WXXI News.

Published On: June 26th, 2017|Categories: FPI in the News|

Share on Social Media!