FLIP YOUR BALLOT: Vote No, Yes, No
***Proposal 1 - Calling A State Constitutional Convention
Recommend a 'NO' vote
A constitutional convention (CC) will open a Pandora's box with many protections now in New York's Constitution that could be amended or removed. Among the more important ones are 1. 'Forever Wild' protections for certain large state forest preserves. 2. Provisions committing the state to providing a free public education and to care for the needy. 3. Explicit protections of pensions for public workers, benefits for injured workers and the right of workers to organize and bargain collectively.
A CC would probably be dominated by political insiders, who already have a voice, as well as special interests, including developers, anti-labor business groups, and lobbyists.
***Proposal 2 - Allowing The Forfeiture of A Public Officer's Pension If Convicted of A Certain Type of Felony
Recommend a 'YES' vote
Elected officials, state appointees as well as managers and financial officers of local jurisdictions and heads of public departments and agencies could lose all or a portion of their pensions if convicted of certain felonies.
The crooks should be penalized for their misdeeds. This should have been on the ballot and enacted a long time ago.
****Proposal 3 - Authorizing the Use of Forest Preserves for Specified Purposes
Recommend a 'NO' vote
The state constitution specifically bars new development in the Adirondack and Catskill State Parks. Allowing local jurisdictions to draw down on a 250-acre land bank in exchange for other land to be added to one of these parks or a financial contribution could be abused, even if the state's Department of Environmental Conservation must approve these. A non-environmental governor and DEC could approve proposals to use the land bank that would pose a danger to wetlands, lands of special concern, wetland buffers, bogs, rare species habitat, land containing streams, ponds or unusual geological formations.
Most concerning is that the proposal does not require a state environmental review (SEQRA) before land from these 2 parks could be transferred.
The proposal would allow public utilities, to lay lines for electric, telephone, broadband, water and sewer. This could include cell towers as well as switching stations, pumping stations, multi-use towers, etc. These kinds of installations would not be consistent with the aesthetics and nature of the parks. They would also drive and encourage sprawl.
http://www.elections.ny.gov/proposedconsamendments2.html
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