Raise the Curtain, Albany

Sick of Albany corruption and waste? Then tell your reps in the Legislature to back two measures that could curb both. The first forces the state’s economicdevelopment agency to keep a database of every public handout given to a company that promises jobs. The second requires economic-development “entities” to obey the Freedom of Information law as well as ethics and open-meetings rules. The state shells out more than $8 billion a

year on development deals without these basic protections. The lack of transparency and accountability help explain why there’s so little payback, in terms of jobs, for the huge sums paid out.

It also offers clues to why characters like Gov. Cuomo’s recently convicted top aide, Joe Percoco, and indicted former SUNY Polytechnic boss Alain Kaloyeros felt free to engage in dubious dealings in the name of economic development.

No, the two measures — proposed in the budget package lawmakers will finalize over the next week — won’t end Albany’s pay-toplay culture, cut off its economic-development cash hemorrhage or create jobs. But they can sure help.

Take the database bill. All handouts to companies would be listed, along with jobs expected in exchange. That would make it easier for taxpayers to see the cost per job.

The state often ladles out tens of thousands per job. Just the $730 million funneled to film and TV biz since 2014, for example, comes to $ 42,000 a job. The public has the right to know such costs — and object.

The other bill requires more disclosure for economic-development “entities,” like SUNY Polytechnic, making it harder to hide conflicts of interest and other shenanigans. That such a law doesn’t already exist is outrageous, but Albany likes to protect its secrets.

Word is that both bills enjoy bipartisan support, but Cuomo has resisted. (An aide to the gov claims he supports such efforts.) If they don’t pass this month, taxpayers will be right to wonder what Albany is hiding.