Ups and downs: Thumbs mostly down on the state budget
Syracuse Post-Standard
March 31, 2014
Public campaign financing: A cop-out limits it to comptroller
We say … thumbs down to the “pilot program” that institutes a system of public campaign financing for the comptroller’s office only, and for this election cycle only. It’s a cop-out. First, we don’t need to “pilot” anything; New York City has had public campaign financing for years. Second, the Legislature is where competition from grass-roots candidates needs to be encouraged. A system that matches small-donor contributions with public money is designed to give those candidates a shot – and give voters choices where often they have none. The incumbent protection machine remains intact.