You’ve heard about the reforms that the Senate’s bi-partisan caucus passed.  What are your ideas?  How do we reform the Senate?  What else in New York (we know it’s almost everything but where should we start)?  Tell us what you think.

RNY launched a new media campaign encouraging Senator’s to say yes to reform.  You can watch the video on our website HERE.

You can help by calling your senators and asking them if they care more about their constituents or about the special interests.  Tell them it’s time they cared about you.  It’s time for them to join the bi-partisan reform caucus.

To find your senator and contact information, click HERE.

You can watch the Senate leadership vote HERE.

Five years ago, the Brennan Center at NYU called New York’s Legislature the “most dysfunctional” legislature in America.   This report was widely reported throughout the state.  Business leaders read it.  Labor leaders read it.  Voters and politicians read it and nothing changed. Statewide elections came and went. Candidates quoted the report and . . . nothing changed.

In fact things got worse. The 2009 budget process was the most secretive in history and resulted in huge, irresponsible tax increases on New Yorkers at a time when they already faced remarkable economic conditions.

Yesterday, in the New York State Senate for the first time since that report was passed, something happened.  Something changed. Reform has come to the New York State Senate.  I’m proud of the part that Responsible New York and I played in this change.

The reforms are both sweeping and meaningful.  They range from term limits for the Majority Leader and Committee Chairs to an independent Budget Office to a true C-SPAN type network with access for independent groups to critique and criticize leadership as well as many more substantive changes.   Overall, these reforms will make the Senate more democratic, encourage new and better ideas and actually involve all 62 senators in governing.  Overdue. 

These reforms languished for years when Republicans controlled the Senate and continued to be delayed after Democrats took control of the Senate.  That these reforms passed after years of failure was remarkable.  How they passed was truly revolutionary.

These reforms were passed by a bipartisan coalition of Democrats and Republicans who put the people above partisan politics.  Amazing.

As with any true reform, not everyone is happy.  When the process of changing the Senate began it was met by attempts to close down the motion, a failed attempt to adjourn, the shut down of lights, the cessation of the live video feed and finally an attempt to get State Troopers to clear the room.  These were disappointing reactions to the will of 32 democratically elected senators finally doing the right thing.  Any other subsequent legal action will be nothing but a distraction from doing the people’s business.

It is truly ironic that the Governor would object to wealthy donors being involved in this process while at the same time raising money at $100,000 per table fundraisers.

Responsible New York was founded to fight for reform without regard to party.   We did that by helping to bring together an historical coalition that passed remarkable reforms.  Of course, this coalition is fragile and there are strong special interests pushing back to protect the status quo.  Responsible New York will make sure that these reforms materialize and will continue our fight for fiscal restraint in Albany.

New York has the highest rate of migration out of state in the nation.  In fact, people are leaving New York at a rate that is 50% higher than Massachusetts with the second highest rate.  When more people are leaving than coming in, even politicians should recognize something is wrong.  This is a first step—a small but important step—in changing that.

After the headlines and sensational reporting about control and legislative maneuvering there are to key things that happened:

• The New York State Senate now has a bi-partisan government unique in our history for putting ideas above partisanship.
• This coalition already delivered real reform that promotes democracy, encouraging new and smarter ideas and an opportunity to change New York.

Together, this has a real chance to break the political stranglehold that special interests have in Albany.  These changes are revolutionary by Albany standards but only, in truth, a beginning but it is a beginning that may lead to a more responsive government.

One important concrete change is that with these rules reforms and coalition government all 62 senators will play a role in negotiating the next budget.  That means in one fell swoop one of the infamous “three men in the room” is gone. Who’s next?  Hopefully there are some members of the State Assembly who are willing to put reform above party and the people above politics.

The changes in the Senate will have at least one important and immediate consequence: sweeping rule reform.

Here is a brief overview:

- The majority leader has a six-year term limit.

- Eight-year terms for committee chairs and rankers.

- No proxy voting, no ayes without recommendation (only in Albany would having to show up to vote pass for reform!).

- Equitable access to Senate supplies, print and media production, administrative services, and mailing.

- Staffing will be proportional, but will never be less than 33 percent for the minority.

- Member items will be divided evenly.

- All procedural votes require a majority only of members present.

- Debate may exceed four hours on budget bills.

Read some more about the rules reform HERE and HERE.

Today, a bipartisan group of Senators set aside party politics to elect new leadership and pass a sweeping series of rules reforms.

RNY Founder Tom Golisano said:  “This is a great day for Responsible New York. The Brennan Center came out with a report several years ago that said that this was a dysfunctional government - in fact the most dysfunctional one in the country.

I think today a bold step was made to take away the nucleus of that report and move us towards effective Democracy…Some of the reforms that were passed today are historic nobody ever thought they would happen in New York State. These two guys came together they made the agreement and said, ‘We can get this done.’

It’s time to care more about the state than we do about ourselves.

In addition to the terrible decisions that Albany makes, decisions that drive people out of New York, there’s more going on in Albany.  Unfortunately, it’s even worse than the usual dysfunction.

Bill Hammond, in the Daily News, reminds us that 18 state elected officials have faced charges since 2003.

Hammond writes: “Why do so many city pols get caught up in crime? Probably because they occupy low-profile offices in a Legislature . . . and spend their days making obscure decisions that most New Yorkers don’t follow closely. The result: incumbency protection that breeds an anything-goes attitude.”

“But the most important factor is Albany’s ridiculously lax enforcement of basic ethical rules.” Hammond concludes.

Read the whole article: Rotten Apples in a Bad Barrel.

PS: That group doesn’t include former Governor Spitzer who escaped charges for his “indiscretions.”

From Jim Lawrence, Editor of the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle: “The exodus of New Yorkers to states with relatively low taxes such as Florida is one reason the Editorial Board on Sunday will kickoff a stepped up, yearlong campaign to help get state residents out of “Tax Hell.” New York taxes are among the highest on Earth.”

Read more about the campaign HERE. Or go directly to the Fed Up With Albany Page HERE.

A Siena Research Institute study found that 11 percent of New Yorkers will  move unless conditions improve and another 10 percent say they would like to move out “as quickly as I can.”

The same poll found a whopping 53 percent believe the state is moving in the wrong direction and only 33 percent saying our state is headed in the right direction.

Are you thinking of moving?  Already left?  Tell us about it in the comments section.

See the polling HERE or read more about the poll HERE or

[New York State's] budget has risen 6 percent per year since 1999, more than double the rate of inflation. Medicaid spending is out of control and any attempt to revamp it – see Gov. David Paterson’s attempt and how quickly the health care union savaged him – has failed, thanks to all sorts of special interests.

Now Golisano leaves. It’s time New York takes the threat of losing affluent New Yorkers seriously. We’ve believed, and continue to argue, that wealthier residents should pay their share in taxes and that certain loopholes should be closed to ensure that happens.

But there is a limit to how much anyone can pay, and New York has reached that limit.

Golisano said he would continue his charitable endeavors in western New York.

Other philanthropists may not be as nice.

Read the entire editorial HERE.