In several interviews following the Governor's address Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno (R - Troy) indicated that he is open to the idea of public financing of statewide elections.  The Majority Leader has long been the road block to campaign finance reform in New York State.

But wait, there's more!  To top things off the man that replaced Spitzer as Attorney General, Andrew Cuomo, held a press conference on Thursday announcing his plans to beef up the public integrity unit of the AG's office with more funding and staff.  To kick things off he plans to review all of the 6,000+ secretive member items that the legislature approved in 2006.  Member items total about $200 million dollars a year and are distributed in almost total secrecy.  Common Cause has long complained about the lack of scrutiny that member items receive and has worked to help make what little information that does exist on them available to the public at large.  However, while we're proud to be public watchdogs the Attorney General has the power to be an attack-dog.  Using his authority under the "Tweed law" he can thoroughly investigate these expenses and even reclaim the funding if it was spent illegally.  Recently, a State Senator from the Bronx, Efrain Gonzalez (D - Bronx) was indicted in federal court for allegedly stealing $400,000 worth of member items for his personal use.

Here is the government reform section for the Governor's State of the State Address:

GOVERNMENT REFORM

First, we must work together to reform state government.

This reform must target two areas:  First, we must enact comprehensive ethics reforms.  Second, we must enact structural reforms to transform our government from one that is designed to resist change to one that is designed to embrace it.

Ethics Reform

We gather here today with the front-page stories of scandal fresh in our minds and the minds of all New Yorkers.  We are in danger of losing the confidence of those who elected us.  To restore their confidence, we must overhaul our campaign finance, lobbying and election laws.

Campaign Finance Reform

To neutralize the army of special interests, we must disarm it.  In the coming weeks, we will submit a reform package to replace the weakest campaign finance laws in the nation with the strongest.

Our package will lower contribution limits dramatically, close the loopholes that allow special interests to circumvent these limits, and sharply reduce contributions from lobbyists and companies that do business with the state.

But reform will not be complete if we simply address the supply of contributions.  We must also address the demand.  Full public financing must be the ultimate goal of our reform effort.  By cutting off the demand for private money, we will cut off the special-interest influence that comes with it.

Lobbying Reform

We also must address lobbying reform to restore the public's faith in government decision-making.  In the coming weeks, we will propose legislation that fully bans gifts to elected officials and strengthens the "revolving door" law, which still allows legislative employees to immediately lobby their former colleagues.

Election Reform

Still, we must do more.  We will submit legislation that reforms our elections - specifically legislation that establishes an independent, non-partisan redistricting commission.  Until this happens, I will veto any proposal that reflects partisan gerrymandering.  More competitive elections will lead to a more responsive government.

Structural Reform

In addition to ethics reform, we must work together to implement structural reform at every level of government to make it more flexible and adaptive to change.

Judicial Reform

First, we must reform our state's sprawling judicial system.  New York has the most complex and costly court system in the country, a system that too often fails to provide justice while imposing an undue burden on taxpayers.  Chief Judge Kaye has forged consensus within the legal community for how we must fairly administer justice.  Now is the time to act.

In the coming weeks, I will submit a Constitutional amendment that incorporates Judge Kaye's recommendations to consolidate and integrate our balkanized courts.

I will also submit a second constitutional amendment that will take the politics out of the selection of judges and implement a merit appointment process.

Public Authorities Reform

Second, we must continue to reform our state's public authorities.  Originally created to be lean, anti-bureaucratic machines, they have become patronage dumping grounds, adding yet another costly bureaucracy, entrenched in the status quo and insulated from accountability.

We will build on the Legislature's recent reform effort and submit legislation to strengthen transparency and accountability.  We will promptly review each of the authorities and develop a plan to consolidate and eliminate those authorities that have outlived their usefulness.  And we will staff our authorities with experts picked for what they know, not whom they know.

Local Government Reform

Third, we must consolidate New York's multiple layers of local government - those 4,200 taxing jurisdictions that cost taxpayers millions each year in duplicative services and stand as yet another impediment to change.  I will appoint a Commission on Local Government Efficiency to report back with a specific plan of action.  Together, we must summon the political will to face the reality that 4,200 taxing jurisdictions are simply too many, too expensive and too burdensome.

Budget Reform

Fourth, we must fix our unwieldy budget-making process.  We will work with you on a reform package based on three principles: timeliness, transparency and fiscal responsibility.

To increase timeliness, we must accelerate consensus revenue forecasting, reduce the Governor's 30-day amendment period and require conference committees to meet as early as possible.

To increase transparency, we will move forward - as the leaders have already agreed - to eliminate lump-sum member items, and require that all member-item spending be specifically itemized in the budget, so this spending can be clearly defined, analyzed and is transparent to the public.

To increase fiscal responsibility, we must require that the enacted budget be balanced, and we must require the Legislature to report on the financial impact of any changes made to the Executive Budget.

I am also sensitive to the important balance of power between the Executive and the Legislature in the budget-making process.  I look forward to working with you to maintain appropriate legislative discretion.

Together, these ethics and structural reforms will transform a government that is structurally oriented to resist change into one that is oriented to embrace it.