September 10th, 2009

Niagara Gazette

With the state government in Albany bogged down by delay, indecision and petty machinations, it was inevitable that someone would suggest a solution to all the dysfunction.

Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb, R-Canandaigua, told reporters this week he believes a lot of the problems could be resolved through a Constitutional Convention.

Kolb doesn’t want to wait, however, until 2016, when voters will automatically have their chance to call for the convention through a referendum. Instead, Kolb’s proposal seeks a convention in 2011.

For that to happen, the question of convening the sessions would be on the ballot on Election Day 2010. At that time, the 212 state lawmakers and four statewide office holders also will be up for election.

If voters approved the convention proposal, then delegates would be selected at the next general election.

Kolb is taking a different approach to earlier Constitutional Conventions. In the past, three delegates from each Senate district and 15 delegates-at-large were chosen. Often they were serving at the same time in the Legislature.

Under Kolb’s bill, state elected officials, policy makers and registered lobbyists could not serve as delegates. “It’s time the peoples’ voices were heard,” Kolb said, noting the convention should be envisioned as a non-partisan event.

That restriction makes sense, ruling out any chance that the people responsible for the chaos in Albany would have a hand in trying to fix the problem.

Assemblywoman Francine DelMonte, D-Lewiston said Wednesday that she has co-sponsor similar legislation which Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, D-Westchester, introduced.