FOR RELEASE: IMMEDIATELY

MARCH 6, 2007

CONTACT: JOSH REAP (518) 455-5981

 

 

RULES CHANGES PROPOSED TO BRING ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY TO LEGISLATIVE PROCESS

Many of the rules reforms are supported by non-partisan good-government group

 

     Assemblyman Gary D. Finch (R,C –Springport) and his Republican Conference yesterday brought forward several reform proposals that would change the way business is done in Albany, but the proposals were blocked by the Assembly Democrats. The proposals would alter the rules of both houses of the Legislature to provide more transparency in the governmental process and equal funding for Majority and Minority members.

 

     “Our constituents are overburdened with excessive taxation and a legislative system that fails to adequately address their needs for relief,” said Finch. “The reforms my conference and I proposed are common-sense reforms meant to streamline the legislative process and make government more accountable to its citizens and their needs. Many of the reforms we proposed are supported by good-government organizations such as the Brennan Center for Justice and the League of Women Voters. We offered – without success – to work with the Assembly Democrats but they failed to respond.”

 

     Finch expressed his disappointment in the Assembly Democrats for not supporting these non-partisan reforms aimed at bringing accountability and fairness to the legislative process. Of the sixteen proposed reforms that failed to gain Democratic support, there were three reforms that would have had a significant impact on taxes and representation:

 

·          Require a super-majority (2/3) vote for final passage of a bill imposing, continuing or reviving a tax

·        Require any bill that imposes a mandate on municipalities or that would require additional taxes, to be  specifically labeled on the legislative calendar

·        Require committee ratios to reflect the ratio of majority to minority members in the house

·        Require equal resources and staff allotments for all members.

 

     “Despite the lack of support from across the aisle, I know many of my democratic counterparts support the ideas of reform and good-government policies. As we move forward this session, my conference and I will continue to reach out and try to work with them to bring additional necessary reforms to the way we do business in the state Legislature,” added Finch.

          -30-                                                                  03/05/2007