Government Reform
There is a culture of corruption in New York state that must be broken.—Larry Sharpe
Newly Created Offices: Transparency, Pardon, Repeal
The first step is in improving transparency is to create an Office of Transparency that will ensure oversight of government officials’ conduct. Having a division like this would help identify the best leadership practices – successes will be replicated and failures will bring necessary growth and change. More importantly, leadership will be subject to greater public scrutiny and held accountable for their corrupt deeds.
A primary focus for greater accountability is found within the many New York corporations owned by the government, committees, and boards who mostly act as a power unto themselves. Since these boards are made up of appointed officials they are insulated from elections. These removed entities make great scapegoats for politicians and provide them with the perfect opportunity to avoid taking responsibility for the misdeeds. Larry Sharpe vows to put a stop to these practices and introduce a culture of culpability among public officials. Every governmental role and function should be subject to the consequences of democracy. This means these positions and actions will either be directly voted on or determined by someone else who is electable. The buck must stop somewhere.
Albany’s unfunded mandates and overreach are strangling the most local levels of government all across the state. Instead of centralized control, we will provide local government with significantly more autonomy. It is important to note, however, that the executive branch will always provide increased assistance to local municipalities if it’s requested. If citizens find their rights threatened by local government they can petition Albany for assistance from Larry and his administration.
Two additional offices created will include the Office of Pardon and the Office of Repeal. The Office of Pardon will help identify individuals who have redeemed themselves within the confines of their prison sentence and may be eligible for a pardon or commutation of their sentence. The Office of Repeal will investigate and identify outdated, unnecessary and potentially harmful laws and work to repeal them.
Community Tax Credit
A CTC (Community Tax Credit) will permit taxpayers to donate up to $500 pretax to a charity they have chosen. Of this portion, half can go to any charity within the state and half can be distributed to any charity in their county. This will help us fund important community programs without the overly complicated political processes which will reduce the likelihood of corruption in officials’ decision making. The competition this will create will require charities prove themselves to New Yorkers, assuring them that their money is being utilized effectively, efficiently, and specifically for their cause.