It is a commonly accepted truth that individuals who have nothing to hide are generally more transparent. This is particularly relevant for elected officials whose level of respect for the public is often reflected in their willingness, or lack thereof, to disclose information about their taxpayer-funded activities.
In this context, the Democratic majority in the state Assembly, headed by Speaker Carl Heastie, is exhibiting behavior that suggests they have something to hide. When the Times Union requested records regarding the Assembly’s unlicensed child care center under the Freedom of Information Law, they simply refused to provide them. Instead of identifying the legislative staffers responsible for caring for the children, they handed over a spreadsheet that contained the entire Assembly payroll. This blatant disregard for the public is an act of disrespect, as citizens have the right to be informed about the operations of what Mr. Heastie refers to as “the People’s House.” It also serves as a reminder that the Legislature continues to exempt itself from various aspects of state disclosure laws.
In his response to inquiries regarding the child care center, which was established discreetly in a conference room in the Legislative Office Building, the leader of the Democratic majority has portrayed the chamber’s budget as a personal slush fund to fulfill the desires of his members. Meanwhile, legislative staffers with young children are left to fend for themselves.
The lack of transparency doesn’t stop at the Assembly. The state Office of Children and Family Services has also been unusually secretive about its involvement with the child care center. Did they conduct a thorough investigation to ensure that the facility meets the requirements of a small day care center, including regulations related to child capacity and supervision hours? Since a Ring camera was installed on the center’s door, it should have been straightforward to verify the Assembly’s claims about its operations. However, the agency refuses to disclose whether they made any effort to do so. Did OCFS also investigate the qualifications and training of the phantom staffers assigned to work at the center? Did the Assembly subject them to the same scrutiny as the rest of the payroll? The agency remains silent on these matters as well.
To reiterate a point consistently emphasized by this editorial board, New York urgently needs more child care options, and any organization that strives to provide such services to its employees should be applauded. However, what the Assembly conveniently sidesteps is the provision of an exclusive, members-only benefit for state lawmakers, completely unrelated to their specific responsibilities as elected officials. If they believe they deserve this perk at the expense of the public, while denying it to their own staff, they should present their case and offer a thorough account of the associated costs.
Instead, Mr. Heastie has chosen to treat New Yorkers as if they were uninformed children unworthy of access to details about their government’s affairs.
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