CITIZEN SUGGESTS CHANGES URGED BY “SPECIAL INTERESTS”
by Gary Perry
(Oct. 24, 2013) — You can read the entire NY State Constitutional Amendments (propositions that will be on the ballot in November’s off-election year) at http://www.elections.ny.gov/ProposedConsAmendments.html
The push to vote “NO” on these six Constitutional Amendments is due to the manner in which Albany is doing the Albany 2-Step to get these Constitutional Amendments passed.
Some of these six amendments many people might be in favor. However, the method in which they are being “snuck” thru is corrupt and dishonest. These Constitutional Amendments are being put off the ballot not in a Presidential election year or even a mid-term election year.
They have been purposely placed on the ballot during an “off-election” year when voter turn-out is typically lower than primary elections.
Voter turn-out may well be less than 30%. The exception might be the NY City Mayoral race.
What this means is that less than 10% of the NY population will end up passing these Constitutional Amendments and a majority of this 10% could be NY City voters.
To make matters worse, probably less than 1 % of the NY population is unaware of these propositions. The only proposition that is getting much news coverage is the Casino proposition.
There has been little to no discussion or public comment on these propositions for the vast majority of the voters.
There have been little or no information on costs presented to the taxpayer for implementing these propositions should they pass.
One only need look at the OTB fiasco that NY State Taxpayers have had to bailout while political friends are put in charge at OTB at high salaries and benefits.
The wording on the ballot is a marketing ploy worded to convince the voters to vote “yes” on the proposition. None of the costs to the taxpayers or the down side of these propositions (Constitutional Amendments) is presented on the ballot and most of these Constitutional Amendments other than the casino gambling have not been discussed.
This is not how we should be making changes to the NY State Constitution. There should be more information presented thru the media, more public discussion on the Amendments and these should be placed on the ballot during an election when there is statistically proven higher voter turn-out.
Placing these propositions on the ballot in an off election year is “nothing more than special interest” getting changes made to the NY Constitution when they know they will have a lower voter turn-out and and a greater opportunity to pass these propositions.
It is not specifically the individual propositions that voters are being asked to vote “no” on, it is teh corrupt same old Albany dirty politics.
In all likelIhood less than 5 % of NY State residents will determine if changes are made to the NY State Constitution and the majority of that 5% will come form downstate.
Corrupt dirty politics and both political parties are responsible. Special interest pork spending without justification to the taxpayers. Typical Albany politics.
By voting “no” on all the propositions we are hoping to send a message to Albany politicians and special interests that they cannot sneak thru special interest constitutional changes without more public disclosure and input.
“Typical Albany politics”??? It’s TYPICAL POLI-TICS everywhere. Once those “tics” bite you, it’s worse than lime disease. At least with lime disease there’s a cure. For these TICS there is no cure.