NY Publishers: Cuomo budget bills a danger to transparency – Plattsburgh Press Republican

ALBANY The lobby association for New York's newspapers is urginglawmakers to reject parts of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposed $152 billion statebudget.

It contends the package would make some state contracts lesstransparent and would give the administration "virtually unconstrainedauthority" over public-works projects.

'WOULD BYPASS REVIEW'

A memo released in late January by the New York News Publishers Association to its members argues that the bundle of budget bills framed by the Cuomoadministration would harm government transparency in New York.

Specifically, the association, in the memo authored by Director DianeKennedy, states that it would allow the governor's administration to bypassthe review authority of the State Comptroller's Office the state's fiscalwatchdog with proposed contracts for some public construction projects.

The proposed process being advanced by the Cuomo administration could resultin newspapers and local contractors being kept unaware of public-worksprojects being planned for their communities, Kennedy warned.

"The governor's proposal would make this new public-works method permanentand expand its provisions to all state agencies, authorities, localgovernments outside New York City, the State University and City Universityof New York, as well as their affiliates and subsidiaries," Kennedy said inthe memo.

"It would apply to all projects expected to cost more than $1.2million."

ON-TIME TOOLS

In response, a spokesman for Cuomo's Division of the Budget, FreemanKlopott, said the measures being advanced by the governor would equip thestate "with tools that will keep public-works projects on time and reducetaxpayer costs through a transparent, public bidding process."

Klopott noted that two major design and construction projects, thereplacements of the Tappan Zee and Kosciuszko bridges, are proceedingsmoothly and "remain on budget."

Kennedy said in an interview that the publishers "are not objecting tobest-value contracting, and we're not opposed to doing public works ininnovative ways.

"We just want to make sure the public is adequatelyinformed."

NYNPA's members in New York include the Press-Republican, which has also editorialized against the governor's proposal.

OVERSIGHT PUSH

Kennedy's contention that the public's ability to access state informationwould be weakened echoes concerns that good-government groups have beenmaking regarding what they contend is the need for greater transparency inpublic-works contracts.

The push for independent oversight over state spending has been led byComptroller Tom DiNapoli.

Cuomo and DiNapoli are Democrats, though theirrelationship has been rocky.

Lawmakers and Cuomo must be in accord on final budget bills by March 31 forthe spending plan to be in place when the new state fiscal year begins April1.

The Senate and Assembly are expected to draft their own budget plans this month, after which negotiations aimed at achieving compromise will commence.

FINAL RUSH

In an interview, DiNapoli said that he shares the concern that "theadditional steps being proposed would certainly reduce some of theaccountability that comes with oversight."

Of particular concern, he said, is a Cuomo push for "a very significantexpansion of executive power without any real check on it.

"I think that iswhy the legislature is taking a close look at it, as well they should."

While it remains unclear whether lawmakers will accept Cuomo's proposals orrevise them, DiNapoli said he hopes the final rush of horse-trading toproduce a spending blueprint doesn't occur "at the expense of transparencyand accountability."

ETHICS REFORM

Cuomo's administration was rocked last year by federal corruption chargesagainst the governor's former top aide Joseph Percoco, SUNY PolytechnicInstitute leader Alain Kaloyeros, lobbyist Todd Howe and six upstatedevelopment executives on charges stemming from a probe into bid-rigging andbribery.

In January, the governor highlighted the need for ethics reforms, including a10-point plan in one of State of the State speeches, calling for limits onthe outside income of lawmakers, term limits for elected officialsand an expansion of Freedom of Information Law requirements for the legislature.

RIDE-HAILING FIRMS

Kennedy's memo also called attention to the fact that the budget proposalswould exempt records of complaints filed with the state against ride-hailingcompanies from being accessed with Freedom of Information Law requests.

Cuomo and many lawmakers are calling for authorization for such companies asUber and Lyft to offer their services in upstate communities.

Suchcomplaints are now public record in New York City, where the companiesalready operate

Email Joe Mahoney:

jmahoney@cnhi.com

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NY Publishers: Cuomo budget bills a danger to transparency - Plattsburgh Press Republican