New York State Senator Phil Boyle wants to prohibit candidates from spending taxpayer dollars on negative campaign ads. That includes mailers, television ads, and online.
Boyle says candidates should focus instead on promoting their own policy ideas.
“It seems like almost constant attacks on the opponents. And that’s really annoying to me and many, many of my constituents. What’s going to be even more annoying is if they find out next year, or the year after, that their tax money is going to pay for these ads.”
Boyle says he’ll introduce a bill this week.
The move comes amid heavy criticism of the state’s Public Campaign Financing Commission, which has until December 1 to release recommendations on how New York’s new public campaign finance system will work.