Making state government more transparent and accountable
By New York State Senator Joseph A. Griffo, R-C-Rome, 53rd Senate District
I have always believed that state government must live within the rules, enforce the rules and enact comprehensive reforms that better serve the people who elect representatives and trust them with their tax dollars.
To this end, I have long sponsored legislation and supported initiatives that will help make state government more transparent and accountable to those that it represents. This includes bills I have introduced that would:
- Put term limits on all elected state officials, including the Governor, Attorney General, Comptroller and State Legislators, and create an eight-year limit on leadership positions within the Senate and Assembly. As a result of my efforts, a Senate rule is in place that limits the number of years a member can serve as a leader or committee chair.
- Provide for initiative, referendum and recall, which would allow voters to place proposed laws on the ballot for New Yorkers to adopt or reject, place an already existing law on the ballot for New Yorkers to reject or accept and place the question of whether to remove and replace a public official on the ballot.
- Impose an immediate moratorium on unfunded state mandates and would require that any state-mandated program imposed on municipalities and school districts be funded by the state. It also would establish a mandate review council to review existing state mandates on local governments and schools.
While reforming state government is important, I also continue to focus on the unique challenges and problems facing communities in the 53rd Senate District and Upstate New York.
I have continued to introduce, support and advocate for policies, legislation and proposals that will reverse the troubling population loss that our state has experienced over the last several years as a result of one-party control of state government.
We need to lessen the tax burden, cut crippling energy costs, reduce onerous regulations on businesses, enhance public safety and make sure that schools, families and communities have the resources they need to grow and thrive.
That is how we can stop the mass exodus from our state and make life better for all those who live here.
###
