For far too long, the corruption in Albany has been rampant and has been done with no regard for the people of New York. The entrenched political class has allowed this corruption to not only take place, but has created an environment where this is an accepted practice. As a result of this, we have suffered through year after year of public officials disgracing their constituents with arrests for a variety of corruption issues. It’s time for the people to begin to take back their state government from crooks and cronies.

Recent polls have shown that faith in New York State government and the elected officials that compose it is far below acceptable levels. The people no longer expect their government to operate cleanly and efficiently. One of the reasons I sought public office was to clean up and reform Albany so that the people of this state can trust that their elected officials are on the level. This is what I’m doing to fulfill my promise to you to reform our government.

Last month, I was proud to stand with members of the Assembly Minority Conference to unveil Assembly Bill 6161, which would allow the people of New York to recall state elected officials. This legislation would allow the people to strike while the iron is hot and remove elected officials who have lost their trust. This bill would put lawmakers on notice about how their actions could affect their political careers. We can no longer rely on the integrity of the public official to resign their position after being caught, in some cases repeatedly, violating the public’s trust.

I have also signed on as a co-sponsor of Assembly Bill 4935, a constitutional amendment, which would allow for the stripping of pensions and retirement benefits from elected officials that are convicted of a felony directly related to their elected position. The taxpayers of New York have continuously footed the bills for the retirement of criminals. The state can no longer afford this, and the taxpayer should not be expected to pay for this. There can be no “golden parachute” for those who violate the public trust.

These two pieces of legislation will cut back on the corruption epidemic in Albany. We must restore faith in our elected officials, and I know this will go a long way in doing that. If you have any questions regarding these pieces of legislation or would like to contact my office for any reason, I encourage you to do so. My door is always open to you. You can reach my Albany office at (518) 455-5314 or my district office at (585) 786-0180. My Assembly e-mail is dipietrod@assembly.state.ny.us. You can also connect with me via Facebook, just search for Assemblyman David DiPietro and like my page to keep up with everything I’m doing in Albany.