Cynthia Nixon ripped into the pay-to-play scandals that have rocked Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration while unveiling a plan Monday to severely limit campaign contributions.
Nixon’s plan would ban corporate donations and limit individual contributions to $5,400 for statewide office and legislative races.
Candidates for governor can now receive more than $60,000 from an individual.
People with business before the state would be barred completely from donating to the governor, as would political appointees, under Nixon’s proposal.
The “Sex and the City” actress — who is challenging Cuomo in the Sept. 13 Democratic primary — would create a voluntary, matching public funding campaign finance system to encourage contributions from small donors, modeled after New York City’s program.
Individual donations under $175 would receive 6-to-1 matches. Donations of less than $50 would receive an extraordinary 9-to-1 match.
A separate agency would be created to administer and enforce the new program, which would cost about $40 million a year, or $160 million for a four-year election cycle.
Conversely, there’s a provision to benefit “membership organizations” — unions — allowing them to spend $25 per member for volunteering in campaigns.
Nixon made the announcement outside the old Tweed Courthouse as more Cuomo associates face trial.
“Eight years ago, Andrew Cuomo stood in front of Tweed Courthouse and launched his campaign with a promise to clean up Albany. Today, just a few feet from this spot, Cuomo associate Alain Kaloyeros is on trial for bid rigging to benefit two large Cuomo donors,” Nixon said.
“This unchecked influence of big money in state politics is why our state government currently serves to benefit corporations and the rich, leaving the rest of us behind.”
She said Cuomo had exploited the loose state laws to amass a $30 million campaign war chest, including taking millions from limited liability companies. She proposed banning LLC contributions.
Nixon would also restore the state comptroller’s authority to review all major state contracts and create a single public database for all state economic development deals.
