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I'm all for ethics reform and understand how Sheldon Silver and others abuse power, but the recent proposal in the New York State Senate to cap outside income at $12,000 doesn't make sense.
They are missing the point. The State Legislature is a part-time job. They are only in session for six months each year and in some weeks they are only in Albany for two days.
The system was designed for citizen-legislators. You are supposed to have outside income from a real job in the real world, and then bring that experience to your legislative duties.
The salary is $79,500 and with a cap they can only make $91,500 (plus possible stipends). It's hard to raise a family in Westchester, Nassau or Manhattan with that salary -- try putting a few kids through college.
If this "reform" passes, who will run for State Senate or State Assembly? You can expect a lot of wealthy candidates who don't need to work hard every day like the rest of us. It will close the door to middle class people and those in the private sector - the exact kind of people we need in our State Legislature.
Unfortunately, we already have too many legislators in Albany who fail to grasp that New York is the highest taxed, least business friendly and most over-regulated state in the country.
The actions of our state legislators have damaged job creation and economic opportunity and caused tens of millions of New Yorkers to flee our state in the past 20 years.
This "reform" is misguided, and we should hope it's defeated, but let's also hope they approve more thoughtful reforms that actually crack down on the corrupt schemes like those of Sheldon Silver or other legislators recently convicted of crimes.
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