At a Town Hall meeting in Lowville last week, Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R, I, C-Canandaigua) and Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush (R, C-Black River), voiced their support for a “People’s Convention to Reform New York.”
According to Kolb, the non-partisan, grassroots effort has garnered endorsements from communities and organizations statewide, as well as from over 2,500 citizens who have signed an online petition at www.reformNY.org to voice their support of a People’s Convention.
“The North Country has a unique set of strengths and needs. Our communities want to preserve rural landscapes and our agriculture-based economy while capitalizing on opportunities for tourism and trade at our international border.
“We need an efficient, effective government that is responsive to our local needs. A ‘People’s Constitutional Convention’ will bring this change to the Empire State,” Assemblyman Blankenbush said.
During the meeting, Kolb explained that the People’s Convention to Reform New York would focus on fiscal and government reforms, such as the state spending cap, debt reform, and a ban on “backdoor” borrowing; the establishment of an independent Legislative Redistricting Commission, and the enactment of term limits for legislative leaders.
“We have miles to go before we can truly say that our state government is back on track and headed in the right direction.
“We still pay the second-highest combined state and local tax burden in the nation. Nearly 800,000 New Yorkers are still unemployed.
“State government is still too big, too costly and too bureaucratic. Bottom line—there is still much work that needs to be done,” Kolb said.
