fbpx
  • Subscribe & Support
  • Sign up for Free Newsletter
  • Print Edition
    • Get Home Delivery
    • Read ePaper Online
    • Newsstand Locations
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Customer Support
    • Submit A News Tip
    • Where’s My Paper?
  • Manage HV1 Account
Hudson Valley One
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Featured Events
      • Art
      • Books
      • Kids
      • Lifestyle & Wellness
      • Food & Drink
      • Music
      • Nature
      • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Help Wanted
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Podcast
  • Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Featured Events
      • Art
      • Books
      • Kids
      • Lifestyle & Wellness
      • Food & Drink
      • Music
      • Nature
      • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Help Wanted
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Podcast
  • Log In
No Result
View All Result
Hudson Valley One
No Result
View All Result

A guide to New York’s 2017 ballot proposals

by HV1 Staff
November 9, 2017
in Politics & Government
0
Erica’s Cancer Journey: “What are you afraid of?”

New York voters are reminded, or urged, to turn the ballot over once you’ve filled in the circles beside the names on the front for whom you wish to vote.

There you’ll find the dreaded proposals, the ones that garner few votes but can have a widespread effect on how we are governed.

This year there are three, with the biggie being Proposal One, which asks a seemingly simple question — “Shall there be a convention to revise the constitution and amend the same?”

This, of course, is the New York State Constitution, not the federal. By now you may have heard arguments for and against the question. We’ve editorialized on the proposition, advising against such a convention, but have also run opinions that seek a positive vote.

Here are some particulars on Proposal One:

  • If a majority voting on this question votes no, there will be no Constitutional Convention.
  • If a majority votes yes, then three delegates from each state senatorial district and 15 at large statewide delegates will be elected in November 2018. The delegates will convene at in Albany in April 2019 (and get paid the same salary as a state assemblyman — $79,500 per year, plus per diem). Amendments adopted by a majority of the delegates will be submitted to the voters for approval or rejection in a statewide referendum to be held at least six weeks after the Convention adjourns. The delegates will determine whether to submit proposed amendments as separate questions. Any amendments that the voters approve will go into effect on the January 1 following their approval.

Pension and retirement collection for public officers who are convicted felons

Proposal Number Two is an amendment to the current state constitution. The constitution now provides that the benefits of a public pension or retirement system cannot be reduced or impaired. The purpose of the proposed amendment is to allow a court to reduce or revoke the public pension of a public officer who is convicted of a felony that has a direct and actual relationship to the performance of the public officer’s existing duties, and it asks a simple question: “Shall the proposed amendment be approved?”

New York’s ethical lapses have been widely publicized in the last years. Both the Senate Majority Leader and the Speaker of the Assembly have resigned posts and been convicted of ethics breaches (both of those convictions have been reversed on appeal, while prosecutors consider retrials). Others do their time, but as it stands now, can still collect pensions and retirements.

Land accounts for towns, villages, counties

Proposal Number Three is another amendment to the State Constitution.

As it stands now, the constitution protects the state’s forest preserve as wild forest land and generally prohibits the lease, sale, exchange, or taking of any forest preserve land.

The proposed amendment will create two new exceptions to this broad protection of the forest preserve to make it easier for municipalities to undertake what the framers of the amendment call “certain health and safety projects.” First, the proposed amendment will create a land account of up to 250 acres of forest preserve land. A town, village, or county can apply to the land account if it has no viable alternative to using forest preserve land for specified health and safety purposes.

Second, the proposed amendment will allow bicycle paths and types of public utility lines to be located within the widths of specified highways that cross forest preserve land. You will be asked, “Shall the proposed amendment be approved?”

Remember, these proposals are on the back of your ballots. Turn them over and cast your votes.

Tags: election 2017
Thank you for reading Hudson Valley One. We rely on your support to continue providing local, substantive news. Please check out our subscription options to keep local journalism alive in the Hudson Valley.
- Geddy Sveikauskas, Publisher
Previous Post

Saugerties Times election letters

Next Post

Letters: What ‘Restore Kingston Pride’ means to me

HV1 Staff

Related Posts

Woodstock assessor Marc Plate retiring
Politics & Government

Saugerties code aide retires, comes back part time

June 25, 2022
Election 2018: Who’s on the ballot?
Politics & Government

State primaries are June 28

June 24, 2022
Discovering how to fix the Discovery Institute
Politics & Government

Saugerties planner Ken Goldberg resigns

June 24, 2022
Two carriers now up & running on Gardiner cell tower
Politics & Government

Gardiner greenlights controversial cell tower at Highway Garage site

June 23, 2022
New Paltz highway money mystery
Politics & Government

New Paltz highway money mystery

June 23, 2022
Olive’s short-term rental regs enable long term occupants
Community

Olive’s short-term rental regs enable long term occupants

June 23, 2022
Next Post
Kingston Times letters (12/8-14)

Letters: What 'Restore Kingston Pride' means to me

Trending News

  • SUV drives into Sunflower Market in Woodstock 13.3k views
  • Homeless in Woodstock doc draws crowd as officials seek answers 1.1k views
  • AutoCamp Catskills brings fleet of Airstreams to former Saugerties KOA 1k views
  • Small freedom convoy makes its way through the streets of Saugerties  1k views
  • Fourth of July fireworks are back in Kingston and Saugerties 1k views







Latest HV1 Podcast

Weather

Kingston
◉
91°
Sunny
5:21am8:35pm EDT
Feels like: 91°F
Wind: 3mph SSW
Humidity: 32%
Pressure: 30.07"Hg
UV index: 3
SunMonTue
91/68°F
81/54°F
79/54°F
Weather forecast Kingston, New York ▸

Ulster County COVID-19 Active Cases

Subscribe

Independent. Local. Substantive. Subscribe now.

  • Subscribe & Support
  • Sign up for Free Newsletter
  • Print Edition
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Contact
  • Manage HV1 Account

© 2022 Ulster Publishing

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Featured Events
      • Art
      • Books
      • Kids
      • Lifestyle & Wellness
      • Food & Drink
      • Music
      • Nature
      • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Help Wanted
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Podcast
  • Subscribe & Support
  • Contact Us
    • Customer Support
    • Advertise
    • Submit A News Tip
  • Print Edition
    • Read ePaper Online
    • Newsstand Locations
    • Where’s My Paper
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Log In

© 2022 Ulster Publishing