Vote NO on Constitutional Convention
Our union needs every member to go to the polls on Tuesday, November 7th and vote NO on whether to open the state constitution. The question will be on the back of the ballot. Every twenty years, New Yorkers vote on whether to open the state constitution. The cost of opening the Constitution could cost tax payers almost $300 million dollars. It is written in our constitution that if it is opened, there must then be three delegates from each senatorial district, plus an additional thirteen delegates, for a total of over two hundred delegates. Each delegate would be paid $79,5000. In order to become a delegate, one must obtain thousands of signatures. In 1967 over 90% of the delegates were legislatures. So, politicians would receive their regular salary, plus an additional $79,5000. The easiest way to make changes to our Constitution is through amendments. Our constitution has over two hundred amendments.
Aside from the expense of opening the Constitution, our union is worried that our collective bargaining rights or pension allotment could be altered. Keep in mind that in the past few years many states, most notably, Wisconsin, have lost their collective bargaining rights. In Rhode Island, pensions plans have been altered.
In addition to protecting our collective bargaining rights and protecting our pension plans, environmentalists are worried that “Forever Wild” land in the Catskills and Adirondacks could lose their protective status.
NYSUT in not the only organization opposed to opening the constitution, there are over two hundred organizations including ones who normally might not be supporting similar issues, such as Planned Parenthood and The New York Rifle and Pistol Association. To learn more about ConCon, visit:
Sally Lord, UBTO member