I am fundamentally opposed to using taxpayer dollars to fund political campaigns. The taxpayers of this state already are taxed enough, and the evidence will show that this won’t end the corruption but only make the problem worse. If we are serious about fighting corruption, we should look for other solutions. We can more effectively combat corruption by allowing voters to hold recall elections of crooked officials, enact term limits and strip those convicted of corruption of their taxpayer-funded pensions.

In addition, there is no way to justify using taxpayer dollars for political campaigns when millions of dollars have been cut from our not-for-profit agencies that provide critical services to our state’s most vulnerable New Yorkers - the developmentally disabled. If the state cannot fund programs for our most vulnerable citizens, then it should not be funding the political campaigns of candidates.