The culture of corruption and dysfunction in Albany must end. Albany is in need of a full overhaul. For too long, New York has been controlled by "3 men in a room." Too many of our legislators have been involved in scandals and back room deals. The interests of Islip and Brookhaven are being sold out to the New York City based leadership. Lee will fight to end the dysfunction and special interest influence throughout New York, and limit the role of government in our daily lives.
Lee will work tirelessly to cut government waste, abuse and excessive spending. Since 2000, state spending has increased by nearly 70 percent. State agency consolidation will eliminate any unnecessary and duplicitous services. New York needs to incentivize saving by allowing agencies and other recipients of annual state funding to put money saved into reserve accounts without punishing them by cutting funding not used by the end of the fiscal year.
The budget process has to be reformed to mandate more openness with public hearings. Starting the second week of January, there should be a weekly one hour public leaders meeting to update the state on the budget progress. Lee supports two year budgeting instead of one year budgeting to force legislators to start planning for the future. When budgets are not passed on time by April 1st, the legislative work weeks must extend to 5 days. When budgets are not passed by May 1st, the legislative work weeks must extend to 6 days. When budgets are not passed by June 1st, voters should be given the ability to force recall elections of their state legislators.
Term Limits: Terms should be extended from two years to four years to allow legislators to spend more time working on policy and reducing the amount of political pandering and reelection campaigning. State legislators should be term limited to 3 terms of four years. Assembly and Senate leadership should be limited to 6 years in their respective leadership posts.
Lee supports the efforts of NY Uprising to promote non-partisan redistricting. Legislative districts should be created for the purpose of benefiting fair representation of constituents rather than to ensure job security for incumbents.
State Spending Cap Amendment: We must prevent future spending from rising faster than the rate of inflation. Lee does not believe Albany has an under-taxing problem. Lee believes Albany has an overspending problem. A state spending cap amendment will force the state to tighten our fiscal belts which will make government more efficient in the way they spend our tax dollars.