New York is kicking off the operation of its new Public Campaign Financing Program (PCFP), which is intended to make it easier for new candidates for the state Legislature and those with limited resources to run their campaigns.  A previous post explained the mechanics of the program (New York State is about to start providing money to run political campaigns.  How will that work in practice? | Politics and Other Stuff (politicsandstuff.com).

A total of 329 incumbent and non-incumbent candidates for the Legislature applied to participate in the program by the deadline of February 26.  Fifteen active candidates in Western New York are participating, which is six more than this blog previously reported.  One other potential local participant, Joe Flatley, ended his campaign in February after raising $3,760 and spending $3,573.

The law which created the program requires campaign financial reporting that is on a different schedule than the reporting system that has traditionally been employed for all political committees in the state.  The first financial filing for the PCFP participants was required to be submitted by March 15.  The reporting is just for the period from mid-January through March 11.

You can see by the reporting that although many have signed up for the program some are just getting started with their campaigns and have a way to go before becoming eligible for public funding.  The “transferred from other account” notation in the following list of local participants applies mainly to incumbents who had existing accounts filed with the state Board of Elections.  Those accounts needed to be shut down because only one authorized committee is allowed per elective office sought. All previously authorized committees for the same elected office were required to be terminated with NYSBOE.

Here is a list of the Western New York participants along with a summary of their financials.  Incumbents are noted with an (I):

Candidates                                                                                                                 

Senate

George Borrello (I) (R) (57th District)                                      Raised $3,000; Transferred from other account $121,974; Spent $13,914; Available Balance $112,060                                                                                                  

Pat Gallivan (I) (R) (60th District)                                              Raised $11,983; Spent $90; Balance $11,893; Other account had $176,973 as of January 2024

Candidate Jack Moretti (R) (63rd District)                              No activity report

Candidate Christine Czarnik (R) (61st District)                      Raised $2,605; Spent $150; Balance $2,455

Sean Ryan (I) (D) (61st District)                                                 No activity report; Other account had $233,468 as of January 2024

Candidate April McCants-Baskin (D) (63rd District)             Raised $23,744; Transferred $50,000; Spent $6,613; Balance $67,131;  funds remaining in other account for a different office

Assembly

Candidate Jeffrey Elder (D) (145th District)                           Raised $20; Balance $20

Candidate Michelle Roman (D) (144th District)                    No activity report

Candidate Deborah Kilbourn (R) (146th District)                 Raised $200; Balance $200

Candidate Darci Cramer (D) (147th District)                          No report on file

Angelo Morinello (I) (R) (145th District)                                 Raised $13,540; Transferred $23,500; Spent $2,127; Balance $34,912

Candidate Patrick Chludzinski  (R) (143rd District)               Raised $6,938; Spent $435; Balance $6,503  

Candidate Mitch Martin (R) (147th District)                          Raised $15,996; Transferred $14,126; Spent $17,476; Balance $12,646

Michael Norris (I) (R) (144th District)                                      Raised $2,740; Transferred $126,444; Spent $12,827; Balance $116,358

Pat Burke (I) (D) (142nd District)                                              Raised $8,725; Balance $8,725

Signing up for the program does not necessarily mean that a candidate will receive any public funding.  That determination will be made by the PCFP Board and staff after they have evaluated the documentation  provided by the candidates.  The process is very bureaucratic and totally new, so what could possibly go wrong?

For those candidates who are eligible based on the program’s qualifying standards the first checks from the state may go out this month.

March Madness

By now those folks who are college basketball fans have their brackets in place for the NCAA tournament that launches this week.  Waiting in the wings and hanging over the entire process is online sports betting, which became legal in New York State in January 2022.  There are nine gaming companies licensed to operate in the state.

The state Gaming Commission publishes periodic reports on the amount of online gaming in New York.  More money was collected in state taxes from online sports gambling during the month of March than any other month of the 2023 fiscal year – $83 million.

Just in time for March Madness Governor Kathy Hochul issued “a proclamation designating March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month in New York State, as the Responsible Play Partnership, consisting of the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports, the New York State Gaming Commission, and the New York Council on Problem Gambling, continues to ensure New Yorkers are aware of problem gambling as well as the prevention, treatment and recovery services available across the state.”

You may have missed it but to further drive attention to the issue state office buildings and iconic landmarks were illuminated in yellow light on March 12, which also served as Gambling Disorder Screening Day.

To those so inclined, be careful!  And good luck!

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