September 23rd, 2009

Buffalo News

By Brian M. Kolb

Are you for reform or not? That is the question that News readers — fed-up and frustrated with New York’s directional drift, high cost of living and unresponsive state government — need to ask their legislators and statewide elected officials. If they are for reform, they will support a People’s Convention to Reform New York.

A People’s Convention is a nonpartisan, grass-roots-based, people-driven reform effort. It is not some new, untested idea. The question of whether New York should convene a People’s Convention automatically goes before voters every 20 years. The next opportunity is slated for 2017. A People’s Convention to Reform New York moves up the chance for positive change by seven years. Frankly, things have gotten so bad, reform can’t wait.

A People’s Convention could deliver much-needed fiscal and governmental reforms, including a spending and property tax cap, debt reform and a ban on back-door borrowing. Reforms like term limits for legislative leaders, a succession plan for state offices and nonpartisan redistricting could also be considered.

Make no mistake, good people serve in state government. But they are trapped in a bad system. For reform to happen, the institution of state government itself must be changed for the better. It begins with New Yorkers of all political affiliations and geographic regions taking back their government.

According to Quinnipiac University and Siena College Research Institute polls, 64 percent and 63 percent of voters, respectively, are strongly in favor of a People’s Convention to Reform New York. Former Democrat Gov. Mario M. Cuomo and former Republican New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani support such an effort.

I introduced nonpartisan legislation to ensure this reform push is 100 percent of, by and for the people by requiring any state legislator running for the convention to resign his office. I will continue calling for elected officials, special interests and political party leaders to not run as delegates or serve in the People’s Convention, and ask media outlets like The News to shine the light of public scrutiny on any politician who does otherwise.

You can learn more about a People’s Convention at www.reformny.org . While there, join hundreds of New Yorkers who have already signed my online petition to build nonpartisan, grass-roots support. Ultimately, success or failure of this effort is up to New Yorkers. In our democracy, the people get to decide. If they speak up and demand a People’s Convention to Reform New York, it will happen. If not, it will mean business as usual in our state government and that the litany of challenges confronting New York—a struggling economy, high unemployment, job-killing taxes and partisan gridlock in the State Legislature — will go unresolved.

So, are you for reform or not?

Brian M. Kolb, R-Canandaigua, is minority leader of the New York State Assembly.