ALBANY, NY — Joseph Hernandez, Republican candidate for New York State Comptroller, today warned Governor Kathy Hochul and legislative leaders not to repeat the failures and corruption scandals as Albany moves closer to a final budget agreement that would weaken the Comptroller’s independent oversight authority.
Hernandez pointed to the editorial in the Albany Times Union highlighting the dangers of reducing oversight over state spending and contracting, particularly in light of New York’s long history of corruption scandals tied to economic development programs and politically connected contracts.
“As the Times Union’s Dan Clark noted in the Capitol Confidential newsletter, then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo removed the comptroller from certain contracts led by SUNY and CUNY and their affiliates in 2011 and 2012. Clark wrote that “the Buffalo Billion contract bid-rigging scandal resulted in the abuse of nearly a billion dollars in public funds,”’ wrote the Editorial Board.
“The Buffalo Billion during Governor Cuomo’s administration was supposed to transform Western New York’s economy. Instead, it became one of the largest corruption scandals after comptroller oversight was reduced,” Hernandez said. “Billions of taxpayer dollars flowed through opaque contracting systems that benefited politically connected insiders while taxpayers were left footing the bill. Now Albany politicians want to weaken the very oversight powers designed to stop that kind of abuse from happening again.”
The proposed budget language would raise the Comptroller’s pre-audit review threshold from approximately $50,000 to $300,000, removing billions of dollars in state spending from independent review before contracts are paid.
“We already know what happens when politicians are allowed to hand out massive state contracts without real scrutiny. New Yorkers watch scandal after scandal unfold, all while under one-party Democrat rule,” Hernandez continued. “The answer to public corruption is more oversight, not less.”
Hernandez reiterated his warning that if Hochul signs a final budget containing the provision weakening the Comptroller’s constitutional oversight powers, he will immediately initiate legal action.
“If Hochul signs this into law, I will sue,” Hernandez said. “The New York State Constitution is clear that the Comptroller serves as an independent watchdog over taxpayer spending. Albany politicians do not have the right to carve out billions in spending from independent review simply because oversight is politically inconvenient for them.”
Hernandez also criticized Albany Democrats for attempting to move the proposal forward during closed-door budget negotiations while public trust in state government remains deeply damaged by years of scandals, waste, and fiscal mismanagement.
“This is exactly why New Yorkers have lost faith in our government,” Hernandez added. “As Comptroller, I will restore accountability, enforce transparency, and make sure New Yorkers finally have a real fiscal watchdog again.”