From LoHud.com

Re "Ex-GOP leader guilty of fraud," Tuesday article:

OK, so Joe Bruno has been convicted. Let’s see now if his sentence is something meaningful or just a slap on the wrist.

There has existed a need for ethics reform in Albany for years, if not for decades. So, while our state’s lawmakers pontificate, ponder, cogitate, discuss and debate ethics, we, the citizens of New York, should enact our own ethics reform. At the next election, let’s vote all the incumbents out. Let’s forget about voting for our favorite party and vote against all those serving in Albany at the time. And keep voting them out until they get the message that they represent us, the voters, not their business partners or corporations.

To those formulating the ethics reform, I suggest that term limits (no more than two terms) be incorporated. Term limits will not allow our lawmakers the time to acquire the power and cultivate the friendships needed to become corrupt; or if they are already corrupt, will not allow them to do too much damage. There are those who would object to term limits on the premise that we need experienced lawmakers in Albany. Let me remind them that Mr. Bruno has more than 30 years’ worth of experience. Many other politicians convicted of ethics violations, such as Guy Velella, also had many years of experience. Do we need or want that kind of experience? Can we afford that kind of experience?

Chris Malek

Lake Peekskill