6 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 THE NEW YORK CONSTITUTION NYPEOPLESCONVENTION.ORG
NEW YORK CONSTITUTION
VOICES FOR YES
New Yorkers across the state and the newspapers that they read have
made it clear why they support a “Yes” vote for the Constitutional
Convention this November 7th. Here is a sampling of their reasons why.
“Th e surest sign New York voters should approve a state
Constitutional Convention in the once-every-two-decades
opportunity coming this November is the caterwauling against
the con con among the power players in Albany’s Legislature.
… Th e singular truth, and at the root of their fears, is that
Election Day referenda will enable citizens to clean up New
York’s rotten system of government, in ways highly inconvenient
to the power of legislative leaders and the special interests
that butter their English muffi ns. …
At a moment of pervasive political cynicism and a hopelessness
that government can get much good done, New York has a
chance to renew itself for the sake of future generations.
Take it.”
— From Th e New York Daily News Editorial Board’s endorsement
“I think the
Constitutional Convention
is a way for the people to
get more directly involved
in what happens in the
future of New York.
Th e state government
in Albany has become
a business: pay-to-play.
We’ve had over 40 state
elected offi cials leave
offi ce since 2000 either
for criminal activity or
ethics violations. On a
lot of the issues the people of New York are way ahead of the
politicians—social rights, economic rights, political rights,
the environment—but we can’t get reforms through the state
government because they’re beholden to these moneyed
interests. … Th e Constitutional Convention is a place where I
think we can really bust through.”
— Howie Hawkins, former Green Party Gubernatorial candidate
and current nominee for Mayor of Syracuse
“I
plan
to vote
yes on this
fall’s referendum
question
about whether New
York should hold
an offi cial constitutional
convention to
amend some badly outdated
parts of the state
Constitution. I hope
you’ll do the same. …
New York badly needs
to amend its bloated
Constitution, which
runs seven times
longer than the federal Constitution and more than
twice the average length of every other state
Constitution.”
— Errol Louis, Host, Spectrum
News NY1’s “Inside City
Hall”
“Th e
beauty and necessity
of a Constitutional
Convention lies in its ability to
reform the system and empower
the people of New York to facilitate
needed change. Voter empowerment
is part of the very fabric
of who we are as a nation. Th ere
is no more eff ective way to engage
the public than a Constitutional
Convention, and there is no place
that needs it more than Albany.”
— New York State Assembly
Minority Leader Brian
Kolb