New Yorkers have a big decision to make in three and a half months: A decision whether to overhaul their state constitution.\u00a0 That document requires that every 20 years voters get an opportunity to decide whether they want to rewrite the state\u2019s foundational document.\u00a0 This November, voters will get that vote.<\/p>\n
Having such a provision is unusual, but not rare in America.\u00a0 Fourteen other states have similar mechanisms in place to periodically ask voters about convening a convention.<\/p>\n
Not surprisingly, since it only occurs once every 20 years, the vast majority of New Yorkers don\u2019t know about the vote.\u00a0 In a recent poll, fully two thirds of New Yorkers were unaware of the upcoming vote to revamp New York\u2019s state constitution.<\/p>\n
The decision on whether to convene a convention will likely turn on two questions: (1) How New Yorkers feel about the state of their state; and (2) How concerned they are about provisions of the current constitution that could be put at risk if a convention is convened.\u00a0 If voters are more unhappy with the direction of New York than they are worried about jeopardizing popular constitutional provisions that exist, then they\u2019ll vote yes.<\/p>\n
The process for convening a constitutional convention contains four basic steps:<\/p>\n
This vote is a contentious one, with organizations lining up to battle over the pros and cons.\u00a0 Under New York law, politicians and interest groups that raise or spend campaign donations must periodically report their activities.\u00a0 Last week, New Yorkers got a peek into the efforts to influence the upcoming question to be put to voters on whether they want to convene a state constitutional convention.<\/p>\n
The campaign filings last week showed just how intense the upcoming debate will be.\u00a0 A coalition of groups urging a \u201cno\u201d vote on the constitutional convention, which they call \u201cNew Yorkers Against Corruption,\u201d disclosed that it had raised $635,000 so far.\u00a0 Much of that was raised from unions: $50,000 from the teachers\u2019 union and $250,000 from a health-care union.<\/p>\n
The strange-bedfellow coalition includes Planned Parenthood, the United Federation of Teachers, the Rifle and Pistol Association, the Conservative Party, and many environmental organizations.\u00a0 It\u2019s not just advocacy groups weighing in:\u00a0 In addition, the majority party leaders of the Senate and Assembly have urged opposition.\u00a0 The Senate Democratic minority leader is opposed, and the governor has expressed concerns.<\/p>\n
A competing odd couple coalition which calls itself the Committee for a Constitutional Convention, is urging a \u201cyes\u201d vote and has raised $67,000, mostly from individual donors giving small amounts.\u00a0 In addition, a donor to many liberal causes, Bill Samuels, has spent more than $100,000 to support a \u201cyes\u201d vote.\u00a0 Lastly, the leader of the Republican Assembly minority has urged support for the convention.<\/p>\n
Supporters argue that Albany\u2019s a mess \u2013 corrupt, operating in secret, costing too much and that the state\u2019s basic document is old, anachronistic, and contains provisions that are now considered unconstitutional under the U.S. Constitution.\u00a0 Opponents argue that the current state constitution includes provisions that protect the Adirondack Park, require a sound, basic education for children, require that the poor are protected, and guarantee the pensions of public employees.<\/p>\n
At New York\u2019s last referendum for a constitutional convention, in 1997, the issue was voted down.\u00a0 Voters were unwilling to accept the risks.<\/p>\n
As the battle over convening a convention heats up, with corruption trails upcoming and with a wobbly administration in Washington, we\u2019ll see if New Yorkers have changed their minds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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