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D. R. ZUKERMAN, proprietor

The Importance of Dayton Seaside

December 5, 2009 --

Joseph L. Bruno, then New York State Senate Majority Leader, was one of the legislators this writer tried to contact in connection with the Dayton Seaside property tax ordeal.

The former senator's office might have been a bit sympathetic. Mr. Bruno, however, stayed aloof from the Dayton Seaside machinations, to my knowledge.

Recently, Mr. Bruno has been on trial in federal court (Northern District, New York, on charges of mail and wire fraud.)

The indictment refers to New York statutes that suggest the former senator might have been accused on corruption charges, directly, had he been indicted in state court.

The 35-page U.S. indicment points out that New York legislators should enact legislation in a "disinterested manner," providing "full disclosure" of their actions on the legislation and providing the people "honest service."

For the text of the Bruno indictment, please click this link:

http://intrepidliberaljournal.blogspot.com

A New York Post story, November 21, suggested that Sen. Bruno, allegedly seeking personal business not necessarily unrelated to his official dutues, thought he was simply doing what Assembly Leader Sheldon Silver had been doing, adding to his official salary with attorney's fees, not contrary to state law.

(Mr. Silver has been reported as blocking tort reform in New York.)

For LPR, the Bruno indictment is basically a declaration that legislators have a fiduciary duty to serve the public, not private ambition, honestly, disinterestedly and in an above-board manner.

From time to time,articles appear in the media about the low esteem in which the voters hold New York legislators. Perhaps if the media took some notice of actions by officials that might well reflect personal ambition over the common good, the Augean stables in Albany and City Hall would get cleaned out, leading to pride, not dismay, in New York's state and local officials.

Perhaps if someone -- web sources? -- looked into the curious way the Dayton Seaside property tax abatement, pursuant to state law, was handled by New York City, assisted by HUD, with state officials looking the other way, an important start would be made in restoring to New York State the Founders' concept of representative government, replacing the current disgrace: government of, by and for the insiders.