Five good-government organizations in New York on Friday called on the incoming Hochul administration to usher in a new era of transparency in New York.
At the same time, the groups are calling for the outgoing Cuomo administration to submit a formal resignation letter and a timetable for the transfer of power.
The groups — Common Cause/NY, Citizens Union, Reinvent Albany, NYPIRG, and League of Women Voters of NY — are broadly calling for a far more transparent version of Albany than in recent years. State government, even before Cuomo, has had a reputation for secrecy and work conducted with little oversight.
"It is past time for transparency and certainty regarding the future governance of our state," the groups wrote in the statement. "Press statements are no substitute for official executive action. The current leadership crisis in our state requires a thoughtful response by the Legislature. The public must be assured that a thorough examination of past conduct by elected officials will lead to laws which will prevent future abuses of power by elected and appointed officials."
Specifically, the groups are calling for the speedy release of the Assembly's report that is expected to come from the Judiciary Committee's investigation into the govenor. The state Legislature should also receive evidence that has become uncovered by Attorney General Letitia James' probe and the committee's own review.
And changes to the state's campaign finance laws, a tightening of enforcement for the public officers law and more oversight for the state comptroller's office to review contracts is needed, the groups said.