Fair Elections for NY Responds to One-House Budget Resolutions

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 12, 2024

CONTACT: Jack Lynch, [email protected] 

STATEMENT FROM FAIR ELECTIONS FOR NEW YORK COALITION ON ONE-HOUSE BUDGET RESOLUTIONS

NEW YORK—On Monday night and Tuesday morning the New York State Senate and Assembly released their respective one-house budget resolutions for FY 2025. These proposals match or exceed the $114.5 million for the New York State Public Campaign Finance Program allocated in Governor Hochul’s executive budget, including $14.5 million for administrative costs and $100 million for public matching funds.

In response, the Fair Elections for New York coalition issued the following statement:

The Fair Elections for NY coalition applauds the State Senate and Assembly for matching the Governor’s smart investment in a state public campaign finance system in their respective one-house budget resolutions. Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie have been champions of this program from the very beginning, and we celebrate their dedication to fully funding and implementing a robust small-donor matching funds program.

New York State is now poised to become the largest state in the country to have public campaign financing in place for a state election cycle. This program is nothing short of transformational. It will bring more everyday New Yorkers into the political process, both as donors and candidates. It will counter the toxic influence of big money on our elections and government. And it will serve as a shining example for the nation. More than 300 candidates are registered with the Public Campaign Finance Board for the 2024 election, including incumbents and challengers, Democrats and Republicans from across the state. We eagerly await the passage and signage of the full state budget.