MINEOLA--Nassau County Executive Laura Curran made history today when she signed an executive order barring appointed members of her administration from holding a leadership position in a political party or donating to her campaign.
She is the first County Executive ever to take such measures in New York State.
“This is a major step toward full transparency in Nassau County government and enacting true campaign finance reform on a local level,” said Curran. “I ran on a promise of addressing corruption and this order begins to fulfill that promise.”
The New York Association of Counties (NYSAC) confirmed Nassau County is the first to take such measures and applauded Curran’s actions to begin to separate politics and government.
“County Executive Curran deserves credit for swiftly advancing ethics and integrity proposals addressing local needs in Nassau County. We believe that Nassau is the first county to implement all of these specific actions in one compendium of measures,” said NYSAC Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario.
The order reads:
“IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, that the holding of any office or position of authority within any political party or committee of any political party, other than being a committee person, or of any office or position of authority within any committee on behalf of any candidate for elected office by any member of the county executive staff, any deputy county executive, any county executive appointed commissioner or any other county executive appointed head of any county executive department or agency or any deputy commissioner or any other deputy head or any county executive department or agency is prohibited.”
It further states:
“that the making of any contribution of any sum of money to any committee on behalf of my candidacy for any elected office by any member of the county executive staff, deputy county executive, any county executive appointed commissioner or any other county executive appointed head of any county executive department or agency or any deputy commissioner or any other deputy head or any county executive department or agency is prohibited.”
“We will undo the culture that has allowed corruption to take root in the halls of government,” said Curran. “We do the work of the people and nothing should keep us from fulfilling the promises we have all made as public servants.”
##