Statement from Board Chair Rose Gill Hearn - June 9, 2016

Board Chair Rose Gill Hearn issued the following statement at a regular meeting of the Campaign Finance Board today:

"New Yorkers have plenty of voting to do this year. Congressional primaries will be held in a little more than two weeks. State legislative primaries will be held in September. And, of course, voters will elect a new President and cast ballots in all of these races in November.

There are choices for New Yorkers to make at the municipal level, as well. Voters in sections of the Bronx and Staten Island will elect Council members to represent them in city government.

Candidates who wish to join the city’s campaign finance program for the elections in City Council Districts 17 in the Bronx and 51 in Staten Island, must do so with the Campaign Finance Board by tomorrow, June 10. The program provides qualifying candidates with public funds at a $6-to-$1 matching rate for the first $175 raised from city residents, which means a $10 contribution is worth $70 to a participating campaign.

The matching funds allow for more candidates to run for city office without having to rely on big contributions from special interests. That, in turn, helps ensure that city voters have more choices when they head to the polls.

Yesterday, Governor Cuomo issued a proposal to strengthen the definitions of coordination in state law. His proposal mirrors the strong and clear standards that the Board has been applying for years to ensure candidates and independent expenditure committees remain truly independent. 

Unlike state or federal regulators, the Campaign Finance Board has a long track record of assessing substantial penalties to candidates and consultants who violate those standards.

Clear standards and strong enforcement help protect the city’s system from unlimited, undisclosed, unaccountable money.

Governor Cuomo and all state lawmakers should know that New York City’s matching funds program is more important than ever in helping average New Yorkers make their voices heard in our elections. Several candidates used public matching funds to overcome massive independent expenditures against them and win election in 2013. This is why citizens and lawmakers from Maryland to Illinois to Oregon are using New York City as a model for reform.

We welcome efforts to strengthen campaign finance laws and having clear standards for combating the large influx of money after Citizens United."