Vote Yes

Chang, Art, New York Voters Have a Once-in-a-Generation Shot at Real Reform, The Daily Beast, November 7, 2017.

Barro, Josh, Here’s why I’m voting for a constitutional convention in New York, Business Insider, November 6, 2017.

Viteritti, Joseph P., Politics, Money, and the ‘Spirit of the Law:’ Why New York Needs a Constitutional Convention, Gotham Gazette, November 6, 2017.

Fulani, Lenora, Don’t be Conned.  Vote Yes For A Constitutional Convention, Black Star News, November 5, 2017.

*Lachman, Seymour, Why we badly need to overhaul Albany: The case for a constitutional convention, New York Daily News, November 4, 2017.

*Kreitner, Richard, A New York Constitutional Convention Would Be Good for Democracy, The Nation, November 3, 2017.

Jaschik, Nathan L., ConCon offers a chance to reform NY government, City Limits, October 31, 2017.

Fraser, Ronald, Con-con a chance for citizens to take back their voices, Star-Gazette, October 29, 2017.

Mastro, Randy, Vote yes on Con Con: End passive voter suppression, The Villager, October 26, 2017. Mastro is chairperson, Citizens Union of the City of New York.

Brodsky, Richard, New York can no longer rely on the White House to safeguard our civil rights, City & State, October 24, 2017.

Grim, Priscilla, Vote YES on Constitutional Convention, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, October 22, 2017.  See also Grim, Priscilla, New York Needs a Convention of the People, Union-Sun & Journal, October 9, 2017.

Dematteo, Danielle, ‘Yes’ vote for constitution convention a vote for women, Times Union, October 19, 2017.

Graubard, Howard, Why New Yorkers Shouldn’t be Afraid of a Con-Con, The Bridge: Brooklyn Business News, October 18, 2017.

*Daniels, John, Fear of a better N.Y. behind Constitutional convention opponents, The Informer, October 16, 2017.

*Benjamin, Michael, Why New Yorkers should vote for a constitutional convention, New York Post, October 12, 2017.

*Sliwa, Curtis, and Bob Capano, Why politicians fear constitutional convention, The Villager, October 12, 2017.

Davis, Evan, NY constitutional convention would tackle voting reforms, Syracuse.com, October 11, 2017.

Galie, Peter, and Christopher Bopst, Constitutional Convention is New York’s Only Opportunity for Change, City Limits, October 5, 2017.

Lewis, Bertha, The only thing we have to fear is fear itself, New York Amsterdam News, September 28, 2017.

Gerstman, Sharon Stern, NY constitutional convention can make courts work better, Syracuse.com, September 28, 2017.

Tingley, Ken, Hysteria over constitutional convention not justified, The Post Star, September 22, 2017.

Sexton, Amber and Tony Malone, Fearlessly seize the chance to launch a state constitutional convention, New York Daily News, September 16, 2017.

Dadey, Dick, NY constitutional convention is the only way to clean up Albany, Syracuse.com, September 15, 2017.

*Levy, Steve, Constitutional convention can bring about long-overdue reforms to Albany, Long Island Business News, September 8, 2017.

Kolb, Brian, Separating facts from fear in a people’s convention, Finger Lake Times, September 6, 2017.

Parsnow, Luke, Empire State Needs A Full-Time Legislature, Syracuse New Times, August 16, 2017.

Emery, Richard, Abolish the state Legislature: Focus a constitutional convention on addressing the root cause of New York State’s dysfunction, New York Daily News, July 31, 2017.

Bazzo, Andy, Some Conventional Thinking, TAP Into Yorktown, July 25, 2017.

*Malanga, Steve, We the Unions of the State of New York…, City Journal, July 16, 2017.

Dadey, Dick, How to prevent more Shelly Silvers, New York Daily News, July 13, 2017.

Edelman, Daniel, Delegate Election Date Should Sway Progressive Con Con Opponents, Gotham Gazette, July 14, 2017.

Benjamin, Gerald, What’s a Constitutional Convention Cost? We Can’t Afford to Not Hold One, Gotham Gazette, July 5, 2017.

*Barkan, Ross, Tired of New York’s Corrupt, Plodding ‘Progressivism’? Call a Constitutional Convention, Village Voice, June 28, 2017.  Reprinted in OIA News, July 3, 2017.

Semegram, Richard, Reform Will Only Happen Through a State Constitutional Convention, Gotham Gazette, June 27, 2017.

Lachman, Seymour P., Voters have chance to deal with government’s decline, Albany Times Union, June 10, 2007

Morgan, Bob, The New York Constitutional Convention Proposal, Garden City News, June 9, 2017.

Chartock, Alan, The Capitol Connection: Constitutional convention a chance for real change, The Record, June 8, 2017.  What’s remarkable here is that the author has switched from the no to the yes camp in his series of op-eds on this subject. Also published in the Saratogian.

Foss,Sara, Constitutional convention worthy of consideration, The Daily Gazette, May 1, 2017.

Levy, Steve, Should Voters OK Referendum for a NY Constitutional Convention?, Long Island Press, April 5, 2017.

Davis, Evan, Constitutional Convention is our chance for reform, Democrat & Chronicle, March 28, 2017.

Barkan, Ross, If You Want To Fix Albany, Dare To Dream Of A Constitutional Convention, Village Voice, March 23, 2017.

Dearstyne, Bruce W., Business Contributions and Campaign Finance in New York: Deep Historical Roots, Gotham Gazette, March 8, 2017.

Davis, Evan, N.Y.’s democracy needs an overhaul, New York Daily News, February 25, 2017.

Kolb, Brian, The case for a constitutional convention, Auburnpub.com, February 7, 2017.

Galie, Peter, and Christopher Bopst, Another Voice: Constitutional convention is needed to reshape state, The Buffalo News, February 1, 2017.

Chang, Art, Here’s How NY Protects Incumbents From Citizens — And How To Change That, The Daily Beast, January 23, 2017.

Davis, Evan A., The people’s chance to improve Albany, Watertown Daily Times, January 7, 2017.

Snider, J.H., The Best Delegate Election Process for a New York Constitutional Convention, Gotham Gazette, November 17, 2016.

Edelstein, Jonathan, Let’s make the progressive case for the 2017 New York State constitutional convention referendum, Daily Kos, November 13, 2016.

Semegram, Richard, For a Better Judicial Nominating Process, Support a Constitutional Convention, Gotham Gazette, September 14, 2016.

Coll, James, Unions and the New York State Constitutional Convention Question, City & State New York, August 8, 2016.

Samuels, Bill, Thanks to governor, no threat of much-needed reform, Times Union, April 26, 2016.

Brodsky, Richard, Overall, a constitutional convention makes good sense, Times Union, February 28, 2016.

Haber, Adam, All Things Political: Why so much corruption in politics?, The Island Now, February 4, 2016.

Benjamin, Gerald, Constitutional commission deserves support, Times Union, January 30, 2016.

Morrongiello, Mike, Upstate needs constitutional convention, Star Gazette, January 5, 2016.

Deartsyne, Bruce W., New York History: Legislative Scandals Often Lead to Meager Reform, Gotham Gazette, December 22, 2015.

Weiner, Anthony, How to End the Feud Between the Mayor and the Governor, New York Times, August 26, 2015.

Cosentino, Guy, Pitfalls of a constitutional convention, AuburnPub.com, July 24, 2015.

Cosentino, Guy, Changing state constitution a monumental task, AuburnPub.com, July 22, 2015.

Foss, Sara, Thinking It Through, Daily Gazette of Schenectady, July 16, 2015. (Blog)

Robillard, Craig, It is time for another NYS constitutional convention, Democrat & Chronicle, May 1, 2015.

Neale, Reginald, CITY VOICES: Is NY government corrupt by design? City Newspaper, February 2, 2015.

Turner, Douglas, Cuomo must seize day, push reform in Albany, Buffalo News, February 2, 2015.

O’Reilly, William F.B., The time for term limits has come to state government, Newsday, January 28, 2015.

Benjamin, Gerald, Independent redistricting: Good enough not good enough, Times Union, October 22, 2014.

Livadas, Jerry V., “Hold constitutional convention in 2012,” Buffalo News, January 30, 2011.

Goldfeder, Jerry H., How Cuomo can tame N.Y., Times Union, November 4, 2010.

Kolb, Brian M., People’s Convention could bring about real reform, Buffalo News, February 2, 2010.

Turner, “Douglas, Election system flaws lead to policy problems,” Buffalo News, October 12, 2009.

Seward, James, Constitutional Makeover, New York State Senator James L. Seward’s Blog, August 21, 2009

Lazio, Rick, One for All, New York Times, July 13, 2009.

Benjamin, Gerald, and Mario M. Cuomo, New York Needs a Constitutional Convention: It’s obvious Albany can’t clean up its own mess, Wall Street Journal, July 10, 2009.

Lunn, Robert J.,” What our legislators never learned in kindergarten,” Daily Record of Rochester, June 30, 2009.

Giuliani, Rudolph, Putting New York Back Together, New York Times, June 24, 2009.

Newfield, Jack, “Cuomo Looks Back – And Ahead,” New York Sun, May 21, 2003.

Vote No

McKee, Michael, Why Tenants Should Vote Against a Constitutional Convention, Gotham Gazette, November 6, 2017.

Daniel, John, A constitutional convention just isn’t worth the risk: New York’s environment, among other things, could come under threat, The Informer, November 5, 2017.

Master, Bob, A New York Constitutional Convention Could Threaten the State’s Progressive Fabric, The Nation, November 3, 2017.

Levine, Mark, A Grave Risk for Progressives (page 24), City & State, October 23, 2017. (Also published with the Brodsky pro article on October 24, 2017.)

Sielaff, Chris, Vote NO on Constitutional Convention, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, October 22, 2017.

Marks, Jordan, NY constitutional convention a ‘field day for powerful lobbyists’, Syracuse.com, October 22, 2017. Jordan Marks heads New Yorkers Against Corruption, the coalition opposed to a convention.

Carr, Jim, Constitutional convention puts our rights, protections are risk, Star Gazette, October 22, 2017.

Goldfeder, Jerry, Fixing government from the ground up: Say no to a constitutional convention and focus on local reform, New York Daily News, October 20, 2017.

Lieberman, Donna, Constitutional convention will gamble away N.Y. rights, Times Union, October 18, 2017. Donna Lieberman is the executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union.

Calsolaro, Dominick, The Divide: Constitutional Convention Controversy, The Alt, October 4 2017.

Savino, Diane, A con con threatens N.Y. workers’ rights, New York Daily News, October 2, 2017.

Atta-Mensah, Afua, Defend progress: Vote no on constitutional convention, New Amsterdam News, September 21, 2017.

Sheehan, John, NY constitutional convention threatens ‘Forever Wild’ Adirondacks, Syracuse.com, September 21, 2017.

Pallotta, Andrew, A Constitutional Convention poses a serious threat to public education, On Board, September 18, 2017. On Board is published by the New York State Association of School Board Officials.

Marlin, George, Why New Yorkers shouldn’t fall for the Constitutional Convention con, New York Post, September 7, 2017.

Kress, Doug, Vote ‘no’ on NYS Constitutional Convention, Democrat & Chronicle, September 1, 2017.

Scharff, Karen, How the Rich Can Rip Away Our Rights, Citizen Action, August 1, 2017.

Chartock, Alan, In Albany, like in Washington, a lot of things ain’t right, The Record, July 28, 2017. Also published in the Daily Freeman. Note that Chartock in his various op-eds (see other entries on this page) has gone back and forth from opposition to support and now opposition again. Chartock receives about $200,000/year as president and licensee of WAMC public radio. WAMC, in turn, receives about $500,000/year from government sources, including $107,000/year in funding from the New York State Education Department, whose Board of Regents members have demonstrated unremitting hostility to calling a New York State constitutional convention. In 1981, Chartock used his political connections in the State Capitol to help secure approval from the New York State Board of Regents for his acquisition of WAMC as an educational corporation. Among the nonprofits that contribute a total of about $1 million/year to WAMC are the New York State United Teachers and New York State AFL-CIO, both of which strongly oppose calling a state constitutional convention.  WAMC does not disclose on its website the amounts nonprofits contribute.

King, Tom, What’s in a Constitutional Convention?, Press & Sun-Bulletin, July 30, 2017.  Also published as What exactly happens at Constitutional Convention?, Elmira Star-Gazette, August 6, 2017.

LeBrun, Fred, Constitutional convention is too risky, Times Union, July 8, 2017.

Leland, Dora, Constitutional convention costly, unnecessary, Star Gazette, July 6, 2017.

Lonsberry, Bob, NYS should nix constitutional convention, WHAM180, June 9, 2017. Lonsberry is the conservative host of the Bob Lonsberry Show.

Pallotta, Andrew, The Con Job, WAMC, May 2, 2017.  This is a transcript of a radio commentary.  Alan Chartock controls WAMC; Andrew Pallotta is president of the 600,000-member New York State United Teachers. See also Plock, Alyssa, NYSUT’s Andy Pallota, 9 minutes, 45 seconds, WCNY, June 9, 2017. NYSUT President Andrew Pallotta explained why the teachers union is urging a “No” vote on a Constitutional Convention referendum.

Figliola, Anthony, Don’t Be Cajoled Into a Constitutional Convention, Long Island Press,  April 14, 2017. Also published in the Amityville Record, April 26, 2017.

Chartock, Alan, If legislative leaders are against a ConCon, should we be for it?, Legislative Gazette, March 3, 2017. Also published in Oneida Daily Dispatch on March 4, 2017.  Note: this could also be read as a pro op-ed, as more than 90% of the argument, especially that backed by facts, is pro.  But out of respect for the author’s conclusion, NewYorkConCon.info is placing it in the con column.  His later op-ed clearly in favor of a convention, however, is in the yes column.

Figliola, Anthony, NYS Constitutional Convention is Nothing But a Con, Smithtown Matters, January 10, 2017.  Also published in The Buffalo News on January 20, 2017.  Note: the author works as a lobbyist for Empire Government Strategies.

Chartock, Alan, Follow Harry’s advice: Vote ‘No’ on a Constitutional Convention, Legislative Gazette, September 23, 2016.  See also: Chartock, Alan, The Capitol Connection: 2017 predictions, The Record, December 22, 2016.