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Can you help inform voters about the state ballot proposals that will appear on the November 5th election ballot? In the general election, six state proposals will be on the ballot for voters to decide. If you are familiar with the issues and want to help your fellow voters by sharing your opinion on one or more of these proposals, we invite you to submit short “pro” or “con” statements outlining why you advocate a yes or no vote.
The CFB’s nonpartisan, plain-language Voter Guide will include information about these ballot proposals, with expanded coverage in the online edition. All pro and con statements that meet the CFB’s requirements below will be included in the online Guide.
To submit a statement supporting or opposing any of the ballot proposals, follow these instructions:
- Address only one ballot proposal in your statement (you may submit separately on each proposal).
- Clearly advocate a yes or no vote on that proposal.
- Include your full name (and your organization name, if you are submitting on behalf of an organization).
- Statements must be 200 words or less.
Email your pro or con statement(s) to the CFB at ballotproposal@nyccfb.info by Wednesday, September 25, 2013. (You may also fax your pro/con statement to 212.306.7143, Attn: Ballot Proposals, or mail it to the CFB at 40 Rector St., 7th floor, New York, NY 10006, Attn: Ballot Proposals.)
All statements must be received by September 25. Late submissions will not be accepted. Submissions that do not meet the criteria outlined above will not be included in the Guide. The CFB reserves the right to edit or exclude statements that contain objectionable language. Summaries of the proposals and links to full text of the revisions are provided below.
Please take advantage of this opportunity to make your mark on the 2013 New York City elections by submitting your comments on these ballot proposals today!
Proposal 1. Authorizing Casino Gaming
The proposed amendment to section 9 of article 1 of the Constitution would allow the Legislature to authorize up to seven casinos in New York State for the legislated purposes of promoting job growth, increasing aid to schools, and permitting local governments to lower property taxes through revenues generated. Shall the amendment be approved?
Official Abstract:
The purpose of the proposed amendment to section 9 of article 1 of the Constitution is to allow the Legislature to authorize and regulate up to seven casinos for the legislated purpose of promoting job growth, increasing aid to schools, and permitting local governments to lower property taxes through revenues generated.
Proposal 2. Additional Civil Service Credit for Veterans with Disabilities Certified Post-Appointment
The proposed amendment to section 6 of article 5 of the Constitution would entitle a veteran who has received civil service credit for a civil service appointment or promotion and subsequently is certified as disabled to additional civil service credit at a subsequent appointment or promotion. Shall the proposed amendment be approved?
Official Abstract:
The purpose of the proposed amendment to section 6 of article 5 of the Constitution is to grant additional civil service credit to veterans who are certified as disabled after they have been appointed or promoted to a civil service position.
The State Constitution currently grants veterans additional credit on civil service exams (5 points for an original appointment and 2½ points for a promotion). Disabled veterans are entitled to additional credit (10 points for an original appointment and 5 points for a promotion). Veterans are eligible for only one grant of additional credit, and so a veteran who is appointed or promoted before being certified as disabled currently is not eligible for the higher amount of credit he or she would have received if he or she had been certified as disabled before his or her appointment or promotion.
This amendment would create an exception to the one-time-only additional credit rule. It would permit veterans who are certified disabled after having already received credit at one appointment or promotion, because of their status as veterans, to receive additional credit one more time after certification of their disability. After being certified disabled, a veteran would be entitled to an additional grant of credit equal to the difference between 10 and the number of points received at the initial appointment or promotion. This would bring the total additional points of civil service credit such a veteran can receive to 10 for either an appointment or a promotion.
Proposal 3. Exclusion of Indebtedness Contracted for Sewage Facilities
The proposed amendment to Article 8, section 5 of the Constitution would extend for ten years, until January 1, 2024, the authority of counties, cities, towns, and villages to exclude from their constitutional debt limits indebtedness contracted for the construction or reconstruction of sewage facilities. Shall the proposed amendment be approved?
Official Abstract:
The purpose of the proposed amendment to section 5 of article 8 of the Constitution is to continue to allow counties, cities, towns, and villages to exclude from their constitutional debt limits indebtedness incurred for the construction or reconstruction of sewage facilities.
The State Constitution currently provides that indebtedness contracted on or after January 1, 1962 and before January 1, 2014, for the construction or reconstruction of facilities for the conveyance, treatment, and disposal of sewage shall be excluded from the constitutional debt limits of counties, cities, towns, and villages. The effect of the proposed amendment would be to extend for ten years, until January 1, 2024, the period during which sewer debt will be excluded from the constitutional debt limits of counties, cities, towns, and villages.
Proposal 4. Settling Disputed Title in the Forest Preserve
The proposed amendment to section 1 of article 14 of the Constitution would authorize the Legislature to settle longstanding disputes between the State and private entities over ownership of certain parcels of land in the town of Long Lake, Hamilton County. In exchange for giving up its claim to disputed parcels, the State would get land to be incorporated into the forest preserve that would benefit the forest preserve more than the disputed parcels currently do. Shall the proposed amendment be approved?
Official Abstract:
The purpose of the proposed amendment to section 1 of article 14 of the Constitution is to resolve competing claims of title between the State and private parties to land located in the forest preserve, in the town of Long Lake, Hamilton County.
The State Constitution generally forbids the lease, sale, exchange, or taking of any forest preserve land. The proposed amendment would allow the Legislature to settle 100-year-old disputes between the State and private parties over ownership of certain parcels of land in the forest preserve by giving up the State’s claim to disputed parcels. In exchange, the State would get land to be incorporated into the forest preserve. The land exchange would occur only if the Legislature determines that the land to be conveyed to the State would benefit the forest preserve more than the disputed parcels do.
Proposal 5. In Relation to a Land Exchange in the State Forest Preserve with NYCO Minerals, Inc.
The proposed amendment to section 1 of article 14 of the Constitution would authorize the Legislature to convey forest preserve land located in the town of Lewis, Essex County, to NYCO Minerals, a private company that plans on expanding an existing mine that adjoins the forest preserve land. In exchange, NYCO Minerals would give the State at least the same amount of land of at least the same value, with a minimum assessed value of $1 million, to be added to the forest preserve. When NYCO Minerals finishes mining, it would restore the condition of the land and return it to the forest preserve. Shall the proposed amendment be approved?
Official Abstract:
The purpose of the proposed amendment to section 1 of article 14 of the Constitution is to allow NYCO Minerals, Inc., a private company, to continue its mining operations in the town of Lewis, Essex County.
The State Constitution generally forbids the lease, sale, exchange, or taking of any forest preserve land. The proposed amendment would allow the State to convey approximately 200 forest preserve acres to NYCO Minerals for mining. In exchange, NYCO Minerals would give the State at least the same amount of land of at least the same value, with a minimum assessed value of $1 million. This land would be added to the forest preserve. When NYCO Minerals finishes mining, the company would restore the condition of the land it received in the exchange and return it to the forest preserve.
The proposed amendment also would allow NYCO Minerals to test to determine the quantity and quality of the mineral to be mined on the land to be exchanged before the exchange occurs. It would require NYCO Minerals to give the State its test results so that the State can use them to determine the value of the land to be conveyed to NYCO Minerals. The proposed amendment also would require that if, after testing, NYCO Minerals does not want the forest preserve land, NYCO Minerals still must give the State at least the same amount of land of at least the same value of the land that was disturbed by the testing. This land would be incorporated into the forest preserve.
Ballot Proposal 6. Increasing Age until which Certain State Judges Can Serve
The proposed amendment to the Constitution, amending sections 2 and 25 of article 6, would increase the maximum age until which certain state judges may serve as follows: (a) a Justice of the Supreme Court would be eligible for five additional two-year terms after the present retirement age of 70, instead of the three such terms currently authorized; and (b) a Judge of the Court of Appeals who reaches the age of 70 while in office would be permitted to remain in service on the Court for up to 10 years beyond the present retirement age of 70 in order to complete the term to which that Judge was appointed. Shall the proposed amendment be approved?
Official Abstract:
The purpose of the proposed amendment to sections 2 and 25 of article 6 of the Constitution is to increase to the age of 80 the maximum age until which Justices of the Supreme Court and Judges of the Court of Appeals may serve in the following circumstances: (a) Justices of the Supreme Court are currently required to retire in the year they turn 70 years old, but are eligible to continue to perform the duties of a Justice of the Supreme Court for three additional two-year terms upon a certificate that their services are needed by the courts and that they are competent to perform the full duties of the office. The proposed amendment would make them eligible for two additional such two-year terms, upon the same certification of need and competence; (b) Judges of the Court of Appeals are currently required to retire in the year they turn 70 years old. The proposed amendment would permit a Judge who reaches the age of 70 while in office to remain in service on the Court for up to 10 additional years in order to complete the term to which that Judge was appointed.
