ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – The New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) has posted the 2021 Annual Statements of Financial Disclosure (FDS) of elected officials. State officers, employees, and statewide elected officials whose annual salary exceeds a certain threshold of $101,379. By law, they are required to disclose financial filing statements to be posted on the Commission’s website.
According to officials, the purpose of the FDS is to provide transparency about the private interests and activities of public officials and their relatives. Officials said this transparency among other things, helps identify potential conflicts of interest.
Most annual financial statement disclosures are due to the Commission by May 15 each year. However, disclosures for members of the Legislature and legislative staff are due by May 16. Those statements must first be submitted to the Legislative Ethics Commission and then turned over to the Commission by late June.
Annual FDS disclosures include the Governor, Attorney General, and Comptroller which can be viewed online. In addition, the financial disclosure statements of the following are available by request:
- State officials and employees are required to file because they have been determined by their agency to be a policymaker or because they earn an annual salary that is equivalent to a CSEA SG-24 job rate (currently ($101,379).
- Legislative employees who have been determined to be policymakers or who earn above the CSEA SG-24 job rate.
- Candidates for the four statewide elected offices.
- Candidates for the Legislature.
