Ed Koch heads to Syracuse where he continues to push for education reform

“The whole nation has been looking at New York and they’re laughing at us,” said Ed Koch.It was the final stop on an Upstate tour. The former mayor of New York hailing a cross section of democrats and republicans, incumbents and challengers, who had signed off on a pledge to support three key government reforms. A non-partisan approach to redistricting. Broader ethics reform and a mandate for adoption of General Accounting Principles when it comes to determining a balanced state budget.

“Does anybody really know whether it’s truly balanced under ethical principles? I don’t. I hope it is,” Koch said.

Koch has taken time at each stop along the way to praise those who have signed “the pledge”. They are, to quote the former mayor, heroes. But he has also taken time to name those who have not signed. They, Koch says, are enemies of reform.

Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli. Democrat,” Koch said.

“Absolutely not. It’s ridiculous,” Magnarelli said.

Bill Magnarelli says Koch and his group haven’t looked at the record. That he was a sponsor of key ethics reforms, approved by lawmakers, but vetoed by the Governor. He also has no problem with further budget reform, although he questions the constitutionality of creating a non-partisan redistricting commission.