If there was any doubt about whether the state Legislature and governor could bring meaningful reform to the way New York state government operates, the past year cemented the answer.

No way.

Despite having one party #- the Democrats #- in control of both the Senate and Assembly, as well as the governor’s office, leaders in Albany have badly failed at a time when effective governing has been needed most. A bloated state budget was passed in the spring. An embarrassing power struggle unfolded a few weeks later that reinforced the true goal of elected leaders in Albany #- holding power. The disgrace continued in the fall when the Legislature failed to enact legislation that was adequate in dealing with the state budget deficit.

And despite this scenario, it’s almost guaranteed that the overwhelming majority of incumbent lawmakers will keep their seats in the 2010 elections. Why? Because the system is set up to give incumbents the tools to make themselves look like heroes to the constituents in their home districts. “Albany is certainly broken,” the typical voter will say, “but my legislator is not the problem.”

Faced with this reality, state Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb’s proposal for legislation that would allow for a people’s state constitutional convention appears to be the best solution for bringing meaningful change.

Kolb, R-Canandaigua, this month started a statewide series of town hall meetings to promote the legislation, which faces the daunting task of winning Democratic majority support in the Senate and Assembly. But if enough voters get on board with this concept, it could get done.

Elected officials need to be pressed to support this legislation. A constitutional convention may be the only way to get needed amendments in front of voters because lawmakers simply won’t do things that threaten their own self-preservation.

Spending caps, elimination of unfunded mandates, term limits and ethics reform are among the many actions that could emerge from a convention. Lawmakers have been talking about these kinds of ideas for years, but it’s clear that it’s always been just that #- talk.

What can voters do at this point? For starters, they need to tell their legislators they want this legislation to be approved. And they can band together by signing a petition at http://www.bringnyback.com/home/petition/ that supports this effort.