NY progressives push for public campaign finances - NEWS10 ABC: Albany, New York News, Weather, Sports

NY progressives push for public campaign finances

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - A group of progressives is trying to push New York's Legislature to adopt public financing of campaigns as a national model in a special post-election session.
    
Unions and religious and good-government groups have joined with the influential Working Families Party to meet Thursday in Manhattan to force a trade-off for public financing of campaigns in exchange for pay raises sought by legislators.
    
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has pushed the bill as a way to reduce the influence of money in government.
    
The Senate's Republican majority has opposed using public funds for campaigns.
    
Lawmakers and Gov. Andrew Cuomo say a post-election session is possible in November or December and legislative pay raises could be on the agenda.
    
But the Senate's GOP lawmakers say raises aren't a priority for them.

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