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City Limits asked the following question from redbike9 to all public advocate candidates:
What’s your position on the question that will be on the November 2017 ballot concerning a New York State Constitutional Convention?
Devin Balkind, the libertarian candidate for public advocate, said: “I support the New York State Constitutional Convention.”
Republican JC Polanco submitted this statement:
I support and will vote yes for a constitutional convention because it is long overdue.First, the campaign to vote no isn’t being honest. Prior contracts will not be impacted by a future amendment to a constitution. Second, our state has changed a great deal and the last convention was not comprised of a diverse body. This convention will be better reflect the realities of New York in the 21st century. Third, in light of the recent reversals in the convictions of Silver and Skelos it is clear that our system needs to be clear as to what is corruption and our campaign finance laws require a constitutional change not merely an expectation that the legislature would act in good will. Fourth, the true reform position is to vote yes on the Con Con. I am a reformer. Fifth, we need to address redistricting, this is the only true vehicle. Sixth, we have three bites at the apple. We can set up restrictions as to the money and how the convention will take place.I strongly believe that this measure should pass. We will finally be able to end pay to play in New York.
Green Party nominee James Lane wrote:
I will be voting “NO” for the New York State Constitutional Convention! In short, New York State is one of the forty unconstitutional states in our country that prevents adult adoptees like myself the basic human right to access our original birth certificates and reconnect with our biological families. So, in theory the idea of amending our state constitution in a way that would abolish draconian laws like the one signed by Governor Herbert H. Lehman in 1935 that began sealing birth certificates from New York ’s adoptees would be an amazing accomplishment. However … there is a large gap between what the Convention could be–a place for grassroots democratic discussion and passage of amendments that would benefit all New Yorkers–and what it likely would be: a convention dominated by sitting and former legislators looking to collect a second paycheck, elected in large State Senate districts on waves of corporate cash. As the Green Party candidate for Public Advocate of New York City I believe that our state government is broken, and that serious, radical change is needed. Yet the idea of rushing to conduct a costly convention to select around 150 people to make decisions that will impact close to 20 million people at a time when the Left is not yet an organized mass movement in New York, could end with many disastrous consequences to the rights and freedoms people were so concerned about expanding upon.
Incumbent Democrat Letitia James (she opposes it) addressed the ConCon at Monday night’s debate.
For more on the debate over a constitutional convention, read this.
To ask your own question to a candidate, submit it below:
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