We need public financing of campaigns

As the state continues to reel from the fall of Assemblyman Sheldon Silver on corruption charges and observers wonder whether District Attorney Preet Bharara will make good on hints of more prosecutions to come, people in the northwest Bronx can consider themselves lucky with their elected officials. From new Councilman Andrew Cohen to veteran Rep. Eliot Engel, there is not a hint of corruption among any of Riverdale’s “big four” politicians.

However, the status quo for campaign financing subjects them — like just about every other politician in the country — to occasional questions of conflict of interest. For years, Mr. Engel, state Sen. Jeff Klein and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz have demonstrated their dedication to serving the community and only the community — Mr. Cohen is on track to take the same path — but the way of doing politics in the state occasionally subjects them to unfortunate questions.

Most recently, the big four took a strong stance against the Bloomfield family’s unpopular plans to build three houses near Indian Pond. However, the fact that Mr. Dinowitz accepted $1,250 in campaign contributions from the family since 2010, along with a donation from the architect working on the project last year, has rubbed some residents of Fieldston the wrong way.

Mr. Dinowitz pointed out that he has accepted far more in contributions from Fieldston residents opposed to the development. He insisted he always acts based on what he thinks is right, and added that lawmakers regularly find themselves having to vote on issues in which campaign contributors have taken opposing stands.