In the upcoming November election you will hear a lot of confusing information about the need for a Constitutional Convention. Here are 10 reasons to vote NO. Please share with your colleagues.
Ten Reasons to Vote NO on the Constitutional Convention on November 7, 2017
- It is a threat to the security of our pension system. Currently, the NYS constitution has wording which gives absolute protection to our right to a full pension with cost of living increases.
- It is a threat to the right of collective bargaining. Anti union special interests are funding much of the effort to pass a convention.
- It is a threat to a student’s right to a free and adequate public education, now enshrined in the constitution.
- It could leave New York as a ‘right to work” state, where unions are dramatically weakened.
- It could usher in for profit charter schools, including online schools which could threaten our jobs and deprive our students of a real education with a live teacher.
- It could open the door for privatizing our state parks and roads, a move being pursued in other states. This would allow huge user fees for using land which is now public and ours.
- The convention has a $350,000,000 price tag, forcing taxpayers to pay the cost of legislator junkets in Albany. When the convention met in 1967, nothing was achieved, but the public bill was in the millions.
- The state allows changes to be made at a fraction of the cost through the amendment process, a process used more than two hundred times over the last century.
- The convention would open a real “Pandora’s Box” with precious rights being taken from us. Whether you are pro life or pro choice, pro or anti gun control, those who oppose your viewpoint could inflict their own on NYS.
- The same legislators now representing us will be elected as delegates to the convention because they have name recognition and they are good at running campaigns. The average citizen would have no chance at being elected. It is a shocking waste of money.