An anti corruption panel in Nassau County is recommending that Nassau County adopt an anti pay to play ban on contributions. The panel proposed the law be based on Greenburgh's strong ethics laws. The Greenburgh Town Board adopted what is probably the toughest law in the United States in 2007. Incumbent elected officials are prohibited from accepting campaign contributions from developers, contractors, lawyers, agents. The article in Newsday reported that Greenburgh is one of 3 government entities in New York State that has an anti pay to play law.
The "Greenburgh law is by far the strictest of the statutes cited by the Zarb panel in Nassau County," according to Newsday.
If Nassau County adopts an anti pay to play law - it might generate momentum that could result in other counties and localities ---including Westchester -- to follow their lead and to also prohibit officials from giving contracts to major campaign donors.
In Nassau County and elsewhere elected officials have gotten in trouble for casting votes in favor of campaign contributions and for issuing substantial contracts to vendors who "pay to play". Some people consider pay to play to be legalized bribery. These are links to the website.
http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/nassau-contracting-panel-urges-rapid-change-new-anti-corruption-law-1.10892665
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/05/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/05topicwe.html?_r=0 article in NY TIMES 2007
The following was on one of the local Nassau county blogs
Issue of the Week
Would you support a ban on campaign donations from Nassau vendors and contractors to local elected officials?
Recent headlines reveal alleged corrupt relationships between several Nassau politicians and contractors who have made big donations to their campaigns. The Town of Greenburgh, in upstate NY, bans those seeking public contracts from making campaign contributions. Those in support of the ban believe donations from vendors and contractors invite a "pay to play" mentality. Would you support a ban on campaign donations from Nassau vendors and contractors to local elected officials?
(74 votes)
(17 votes)
Paul Feiner