April 20th, 2010

There is a reform effort underway to give citizens more of a say in state government.

Republican Assembly Leader Brian Kolb  was in town today talking with some members of the Greater Binghamton Chamber.  Kolb wants legislators to give an up or down vote on whether to let voters decide this November if a People’s Convention should be held.  The goal would be to spear-head reform in sections of state government.

Brian Kolb says, “Certainly, it’s up to the delegates of the convention to decide what to take up but some of the things we look for is a non-partisan legislative re-districting commission so it takes the forming of legislative districts out of the hands of the legislature and lets a non-partisan commission do that. We’d like to look at a property tax cap, spending cap, eliminating back door borrowing.”

If a People’s Convention is held, another issue that could be looked at is term limits for legislators.  The question of a convention isn’t scheduled to come before voters until 2017.