Eliminate pensions for convicted officials

Thank you Comptroller Tom DiNapoli for recommending a sensible law to address corruption in state government ["DiNapoli calls for pension forfeiture plan," News, Jan. 29]. The betrayal of public trust, that somehow missed the attention of previous governors and legislatures, will need to be reversed if Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's effort to restore the state's greatness is to have any chance of realization. Bold initiatives without leaders with integrity have little chance of success.

The objector to this forfeiture law, cited in the article, seems not to know that the main purpose of good criminal law is to deter commission, not to punish. The only serious objection to such a law might be due to imperfections in the existing criminal justice system. Reform of that system should be high on the list of those looking to improve things.

Hopefully, measures like DiNapoli's will be the start of reform in local, state and federal government.

Robert Goldberg

Jericho