citizens union calls for cuomo to open the church

nassau otb on sunday aptil 16 when gulfstream park et al arerunning so the faithful may pray

 METRO

Cuomo’s state budget is prone to corruption, watchdog warns

By Kirstan Conley

March 20, 2017 | 3:43pm | Updated

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Gov. Andrew CuomoGetty Images

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ALBANY – State lawmakers are moving to set aside nearly $14 billion that could be spent next year with very little oversight or accountability, according to a government watchdog.

Citizens Union issued a report Monday called “Spending in the Shadows” that found Gov. Cuomo’s proposed budget has $4.3 billion in 60 discretionary funding pots, up $2 billion last year.

The group said the budget includes another $9.5 billion for economic development with little or no oversight.

Citizens Union director Dick Dadey charged that the system is ripe for corruption.

“We first stumbled upon this when Malcolm Smith was charged with accessing these funds,” Dadey said, a reference to the former Queens state senator who was convicted of corruption.

“Then as we know, Shelly Silver and his conviction was due in part to accessing a very similar pot of money from many years ago and of course Dean Skelos’ access to these as well as Majority Leader.”

Silver, the former Assembly speaker, was also charged and convicted of corruption, as was Skelos, the one-time state Senate majority leader.

“We have a crime wave of corruption,” said Dadey.

Sunday, April 16, 2017

Track Code	Track Name	Entry	Scratch	1st Post ET	1st Post Local	Time Zone	Stakes Race(s)	Stakes Grade	T.V. Indicator
EMD	EMERALD DOWNS	72	24	5:00 PM	2:00 PM	PDT
GG	GOLDEN GATE FIELDS	48	24	3:45 PM	12:45 PM	PDT
GP	GULFSTREAM PARK	72	0	1:15 PM	1:15 PM	EDT
LA	LOS ALAMITOS (MX)	72	48	8:00 PM	5:00 PM	PDT
LRL	LAUREL PARK	72	0	12:30 PM	12:30 PM	EDT
SA	SANTA ANITA PARK	72	24	3:30 PM	12:30 PM	PDT
SUN	SUNLAND PARK	168	24	3:30 PM	1:30 PM	MDT	Sunland Park H.
							Copper Top Futurity
WO	WOODBINE	72	48	1:00 PM	1:00 PM	EDT

The watchdog group is calling on lawmakers to identify all lump sum funds in the budget, explain their purpose and how decisions are made about doling out the funds.

The Assembly and Senate have both proposed increased disclosure and transparency for the state’s economic development initiatives. Those proposals are being negotiated as part of the state budget which is due by April 1.

The governor’s office said all the spending is subject to rigorous agency review and contingency funds are necessary because the state can’t predict all expenses ahead of time.

Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi also criticized Citizens Union for demanding transparency from the state while refusing to release its list of donors.

“Dadey and his patrons issued the same tired report last year and the only difference now is they are hypocrites for preaching transparency while suing to keep their own donors secret,” said Azzopardi.