To Read More About Governor Pataki’s Reform Policies, please choose: Restoring Fiscal Responsibility Giving New Yorkers a Voice in Government: Citizen Initiative & Referendum

Common-Sense Campaign Finance Reform

Governor Pataki has proposed sweeping campaign finance reform legislation to reduce contribution limits, ban “soft money”, enhance disclosure requirements, and toughen enforcement.

• The Governor’s legislation will close loopholes and put an end to so-called advocacy ads—shutting down a major vehicle for special interest groups to circumvent campaign finance laws.
  
  
• Governor Pataki’s proposal calls for a dramatic across-the-board reduction in contribution limits.
  
  
• The Governor’s proposal bans Albany fundraisers during the legislative session. This will help reduce unfair and unregulated fundraising.
  
  
• Governor Pataki wants to eliminate all “soft money” from the election process, thus removing “housekeeping” exemptions. Housekeeping exemptions are monetary contributions to a political party that are often used to help a specific candidate’s election.
  
  
• The Governor’s proposed legislation will toughen enforcement of phony “issue ads,” by demanding that they are subject to the same contribution limits and reporting requirements of New York’s election laws.
  
  
• Governor Pataki’s proposal also requires more frequent and extensive disclosure of their campaign finance information to the public.