8/2/2019 Maertz Letter to Hon. Ed Koch

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February 28, 2012

The Hon. Edward I. KochBryan Cave LLP1290 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10104-3300

Dear Mayor Koch,

I am writing to you, as a candidate for New York State Senate in the 1st Senate District, to reaf-

firm the NY Uprising Pledge that I signed in 2010.

As you may recall, in 2010 I stepped into the State Senate Race for the first Senate District on

Long Island in late August and immediately signed your pledge; promising the voters of NewYork that I would support the conditions of that pledge once elected to the State Senate. My op-ponent Ken LaValle also signed that same pledge. However as you are aware he immediately

reneged on that pledge upon his re-election by refusing to support an independent redistricting

process, breaking his trust with the voters of the First Senate District.

Unlike Ken LaValle and the Republican Senate majority, if I had been elected, I would have

honored my pledge and fought for independent redistricting as well as the other provisions ofthe pledge. There is nothing more important in defining the character of an elected official and

preserving the integrity of the democratic process than a candidates willingness to follow

through on their pre-election pledge to voters.

Today I once again stand by that pledge and reaffirm my commitment to work for a better, more

ethical government for the people of New York.

Unfortunately, once I am elected this November, it will be too late to effect change in the redis-

tricting process for 2012. However I do pledge to promptly support a constitutional amendmentcreating an independent redistricting process in New York that will give a voice to New Yorkvoters during the next redistricting cycle.

I firmly stand by the rights of New York voters to choose their representatives rather than repre-sentatives choosing their voters as is now the case. Legislators are elected to represent thebest interests of the people of New York, not to provide for their own job security at the expense

of democracy.

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The current redistricting process, conducted at taxpayer expense, is used solely for the purpos-es of perpetuating Republican Party control of the State Senate. It is unconscionable for mem-bers of our State Senate to use hard earned tax dollars to provide for their own job security,

while their constituents have no job security. This partisan redistricting proposal, including the

creation of the Senate Republican proposed 63rd Senate district, will result in bigger govern-

ment and greater spending.

Additionally, while I am delighted that Governor Cuomo achieved an ethics reform victory withthe passage of the Public Integrity Reform Act of 2011, it is clear that we still have more work to

do to restore public trust in government. The only way to create real reform in Albany is to

change the ingrained culture of Albany by electing those who are willing to challenge the statusquo.

Therefore today I am re-affirming my pledge to fight for greater ethics reform once elected to the

State Senate. I also urge you to continue to hold those, such as Senator LaValle, whom youhave labeled enemies of reform, accountable for reneging on their pledge to New York voters.

Thank you for your continued advocacy for a better and more ethical government.

Sincerely,

Jennifer J. Maertz

Candidate for NY State Senate, SD1

ccNew York Uprising

233 BroadwaySuite 850New York, NY 10279