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Editor, The North Country Gazette:
In regard to your article "Legislator Says Proposed Budget Amendment 'Power Grab'" of 9/28/05:
Critics misrepresent the goals of the budget reform proposal on the ballot this November. Its intent is to bring transparency, accountability and certainty to the budget making process, and it succeeds.
Business groups wishing to see a different budget outcome are using this
proposal as an opportunity to lobby for less government spending, but if
they truly wanted to accomplish this they would support campaign finance and
lobby reforms that make elected officials less beholden to special
interests.
The reform will improve a dysfunctional process. It requires greater
openness in the development of the executive budget, creates an independent
budget office and creates a "contingency budget" that will go into place if
there is no budget agreement by the beginning of the fiscal year.
Criticisms that reform will result in "runaway spending" are overblown.
This proposal allows the legislature to develop its own budget if a
contingency period goes into effect, resulting in a balance of powers in
budgeting that is more like that in 46 other states. Furthermore, the
Governor retains line item veto power - a strong preventative against pork
barrel spending.
Voters will see through these red herring criticisms and vote "yes" on
budget reform.
Rachel Leon
Executive Director
Common Cause/NY
155 6th Avenue, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10013
P: 212-691-6421
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