By Mark Scott
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-914436.mp3
Albany, NY – Nearly 200 candidates running for state office this year have joined former New York City Mayor Ed Koch's new initiative called "Heroes of Reform." WBFO's Mark Scott reports they're promising to support specific changes in ethics laws, the redrawing election district lines and a budget process with fiscal discipline.
Politicians who have signed up include all three major party gubernatorial candidates -- Democrat Andrew Cuomo and Republicans Rick Lazio and Carl Paladino. By signing up, they're committed to vetoing any redistricting by the Legislature that would favor or handicap any party or candidate. The 85-year-old Koch, who is now a political commentator, plans an upstate tour in the first week in August, which includes Buffalo, to push his effort. Koch told Susan Arbetter on Thursday's Capitol Pressroom on WBFO that he will hold them accountable if they fail to keep their promises.
"I'll be running around the state if they refuse to keep their pledges to us, yelling liar, liar," Koch said.
All 29 members of the State Senate's Republican minority signed Koch's pledge. They're hoping to retake control of the Senate this fall. Koch says Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos is an honorable man and that he expects Skelos will stand by his pledge and not redraw district lines to benefit his party's members.
Those who failed to sign the pledge are characterized on his web site as "Enemies of Reform." Among those on the enemies list are local State Assemblymen Robin Schimminger, Dennis Gabryszak and Mark Schroeder and Assemblywomen Jane Corwin and Crystal Peoples-Stokes, plus State Senators William Stachowski and Antoine Thompson.