WAMC New York News
(2009-06-12)
The billionaire businessman says the next goal is changing the State Assembly.
"These reforms are revolutionary. These reforms are going to happen. They don't need the Governor's signature. They don't need Shelly Silver's signature," Golisano said.
"We are actually going to have term limits on the Speaker, the Majority Leader in the Senate."
He says the issue isn't the drama of senators fighting for control but that Republicans have changed the house rules, from term limits for Senate officers to equally splitting pork barrel money.
Golisano says he helped push Democrats out of power after five-months because the Democratic leader didn't make enough changes fast enough.
"(Senate Democratic Majority Leader) Malcolm Smith made commitments to me before he was elected to office that he would work on fiscal responsibility, that he would put forth some of these reforms, that they would go after property taxes, campaign finance reform. He was in office for five months. Nothing happened. In fact, he seemed quite uninterested."
Golisano says he's working with a growing alliance of business groups seeking change in Albany, led by...Unshackle Upstate.
Despite criticism that he "bought" the State Senate, Golisano defended his role.
"I haven't asked for a higher pension. I haven't asked for a higher salary. I haven't asked for more time off. I haven't asked for anything."
© Copyright 2012, wned
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