The New York State
Constitutional Convention Clearinghouse


Information Related to New York's Nov. 7, 2017 Constitutional Convention Referendum

 

Letters-to-the-editor on the

November 7, 2017 Referendum

Vote Yes

Colegrove, Arlene, Rare opportunity for NYers to demand fairness, U.S.A. Today Network, November 5, 2017.

Ballantine, John and Alexandra, Vote Yes On Constitutional Convention, Putnam Daily Voice, October 18, 2017.

Childs, David, If there is no convention, do not expect any changes, Leader Herald, October 16, 2017.

Gerstman, Sharon Stern, State Bar Association supports a constitutional convention, Daily Freeman, October 12, 2017. The author is the president of the New York State Bar Association.

Humphrey, John Jay, NY constitutional convention: Will reason or fear prevail?, Syracuse.com, October 12, 2017.

Albright-Hanna, Kate, Beat the crooks, vote Yes on 1, New York Daily News, October 11, 2017.

Thompson, Peter, Citizens should seize chance for constitutional convention, Buffalo News, October 6, 2017.

Murawski, Thomas C., Constitutional Convention, New York Daily News, September 24, 2017.

Scott Jr., Timothy, Vote ‘Yes’ On Constitutional Convention, Shawangunk Journal, September 21, 2017.

Joe Van Denburg, What to do with NY’s constitution, Newsday, September 18, 2017.

Goldman, Ira, and Penn Yan, Constitutional Convention is needed in New York, Finger Lake Times, September 12, 2017.

Galie, Peter, and Christopher Bopst, New Yorkers should approve a constitutional convention, Buffalo News, September 8, 2017.

Grim, Priscilla, Refresh democracy in New York, New York Daily News, August 14, 2017. Grim works on the yes campaign for Citizens Union.

Dadey, Dick, Supervisor Jamieson, please hold a forum on constitutional convention to improve elections, prevent corruption, August 9, 2017. Dadey heads Citizens Union, one of the organizations advocating for a constitutional convention.

Trachtenberg, Bruce S., Streamline system, limit judge switches, Times Union, August 3, 2017.

Chamberlain, Stuart, Let all pensions be free of NY State tax, Newsday, June 21, 2017.

Hoffman, George, Alas, the only way to change Albany, Newsday, June 9, 2017.

Niskayuna, Don, Extra payments show need for convention, Daily Gazette, June 4, 2017.

Goldman, Ira, Constitutional convention a good place to start to rein in NY spending, Finger Lake Times, A
pril 6, 2017.

Mouse, Mickey (pseudonym), What I want done in New York State, Niagara Falls Reporter, November 17, 2016.

Vote No

Coletta, Joe, History shows that a constitutional convention is money wasted, Star Gazette, November 5, 2017.

Caffo, Kathy and Ben, No need for a ‘party for politicians’, Star Gazette, November 5, 2017.

Goldschmidt, Paul, Best choice: Leave the state constitution alone, U.S.A. Today Network, November 5, 2017.

Herman, Peter, vote no on con-con, U.S.A. Today Network, November 5, 2017.

Fontana, Rosalie, Constitutional Convention Confusion, Daily Courier Observer, November 2, 2017.

Page, Anita, A NYS Constitutional Convention would be ‘a wasteful, impractical project’, Warwick Advertiser, October 29, 2017.

Michlewitz, Debra, It’s no time for Con Con, The Villager, October 26, 2017. Also published in Queens Tribune.

McGoey, Barr, I’m going to vote no, Yonkers Tribune, October 26, 2017.

Wilcox, Judith, Many rights are at risk with constitutional convention, The Leader Herald, October 25, 2017.

*Fox, Vicki, Constitutional convention would bring danger, Poughkeepsie Journal, Oct. 22, 2017.

Fox, Vicki, Too much to lose if state holds a constitutional convention, Poughkeepsie Journal, October 17, 2017.

Swanson, Cynthia, Convention may give aid to private schools, Daily Gazette, October 15, 2017.

Hayek, Kathleen.  Don’t Be Conned by Con Con, The Reporter, October 11, 2017.

Graveline, Gilbert, Nothing to gain, everything to lose if we hold constitutional convention, Syracuse.com, October 10, 2017.

Kerner, Todd M., Saratoga Democrats oppose referendum, Times Union, October 7, 2017.

Sardino, Carl, Constitutional Convention may create more problems than it solves, Poughkeepsie Journal, October 3, 2017.

Lennon, Betty, No to constitutional convention, Press Republican, September 28, 2017.

Robitzek, John, Vote no on state convention proposal, Daily Gazette. September 27, 2017.

Richards, Judy, State Convention Would Be Bad For The Environment, Saratogian, September 26, 2017. Levine, Alan D., Stop the convention-al warfare, New York Daily News, September 19, 2017.

Cucuzza, Angelo, Stop the convention-al warfare, New York Daily News, September 19, 2017.

Bort, Ronald G., Vote “No” to a New York state constitutional convention, Eagle News Online, September 19, 2017. Note: the letter follows a template provided by NYSUT.

Livoti, Robert, What to do with NY’s constitution, Newsday, September 18, 2017. Y

oung, Ruth, Vote no on Constitutional convention, Corning Leader, September 17, 2017.  Note: the letter follows a template provided by NYSUT.

McCarville, Seamus, Constitutional convention would result in disaster, Buffalo News, September 15, 2017. Brodzik, Paul, Many reasons to turn down a constitutional convention, Buffalo News, September 7, 2017.

Burke, Kevin, Constitutional convention could weaken worker rights, Buffalo News, September 1, 2017.

Strieb, Max, Already a way to amend constitution, Newsday, August 18, 2017.  Newsday reports: “The writer is a member of New York State United Teachers.”

Griffin, Lori Atkinson, Don’t support a constitutional convention, Watertown Daily News, August 15, 2017.  Griffin is an NYSUT activist and task force member.

Cucuzza, Angelo, Chaos of a constitutional con, New York Daily News, August 11, 2017. Angelo Cucuzza heads the New York Transit Workers Union.

Miller, Sean A., N.Y. vote could be disastrous, AuburnPub.com, August 9, 2017.

Donovan, Casey, State constitutional convention is unnecessary, Daily Freeman, July 22, 2017. Also published in Shawangunk Journal on July 27, 2017. Waxman, Flo, Constitutional copout, New York Daily News, July 20, 2017.

Leland, Dora, NY constitutional convention would be costly, unnecessary, Elmira Star Gazette, July 9, 2017. Leland is a Vote-Cope coordinator and representative assembly delegate to NYSUT.

Hebert, George, Bar endorsement leaves out details, Times Union, July 26, 2017. See also Hebert’s July 1, 2017 and July 8, 2017 letters below. Hebert, George, Convention not the way to fix state’s problems, Times Union, July 8, 2017.

Goldfeter, Jerry, City Bar’s Support of Constitutional Convention Is Flawed, New York Law Journal, June 14, 2017. See also his letter to the New York Times on July 6, 2017.  Goldfeter, who practices election law at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP and is an adjunct professor at Fordham Law School, represents the unions and legislators who oppose a state constitutional convention, previously served as Special Counsel to the New York State Senate Democratic Conference under then-Senator David A. Paterson and as counsel at the United Federation of Teachers, and ran for the New York Assembly; e.g., see Jerry Goldfeter, New York Law Journal, July 20, 2012.

Hebert, George, Convention not the answer to bad ethics, Daily Gazette, July 1, 2017.

Figliola, Anthony, Convention rewards ‘politically connected’, Observer, May 23, 2017.   Figliola is an Albany lobbyist at Empire Government Strategies working for former longtime New York State Assemblyman Arthur “Jerry” Kremer.

Pelliccia, Vincent, Country needs fixing but not a convention; State convention won’t fix New York state, Daily Gazette, May 23, 2017. Pelliccia is an NYSUT delegate representing NYSUT Retiree Council 10.

Libertucci, Michael, Convention not the answer to corruption, The Daily Gazette, May 13, 2017. Libertucci is the political action coordinator for the Schalmont Teachers Association.

Stewart, Rich and Peter Yan, Costly Constitutional Convention not the answer for change, Finger Lake Times, April 21, 2017.

Morgano, Mickey, Elections Are Still The Best Means Of Change, Shawangunk Journal, March 23, 2017. Hebert, George, Governor needs to change his approach, The Daily Gazette, March 11, 2017.

Faggioni, Carolyn, Take heed of fall vote on state constitution, Newsday, March 6, 2017. Kremer, Arthur “Jerry”, Poor history of convention reform, Times Union, December 23, 2015. (Kremer,a former New York State Assembly member, is President of Empire Government Strategies, a lobbying firm.)

Other

Kless, Mary, Lack of information led to defeat of convention, Buffalo News, November 17, 2017.

Ryan, Patrick, Don’t change NY constitution for the sake of change, Syracuse.com, September 23, 2017.

Gutekunst, Claire P., Bar association’s position is to educate, Albany Times Union, July 31, 2016.