State Senate members oppose constitutional convention
ALBANY, N.Y. >> Flanked by union leaders, state Senate Democrats aligned with the GOP majority declared Monday they oppose a NYS constitutional convention that could curtail the rights of organized labor.
“There is no doubt that a constitutional convention could do tremendous damage to the state of New York,” said Sen. Diane Savino (D-Staten Island). “Whether it is repealing pension protection for workers, whether it is repealing prevailing wage laws, whether it is repealing collective bargaining laws. In an age post-Citizens United, none of us can feel safe about the idea of a constitutional convention where issues could be decided on the merits and that’s why we’re here today ... as a group we are opposed to the idea of a constitutional convention.”
“A constitutional convention would effectively mean hurting organized labor,” said Sen. Jeff Klein (DBronx), leader of the Senate Independent Democratic Conference.
“There’s already a process in place to change the constitution,” added NYS AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento. “We just did it a few years ago with casino gaming ... there’s actually going to be a ballot measure this year on the pension forfeiture piece for elected officials (convicted of public corruption).”
Citizen United is the court decision that cleared the way for massive increases in spending on political campaigns by special interests and wealthy individuals. Legislators and union leaders fear that big money will affect the outcome of a state constitutional convention.
Savino and other legislators are members of the Senate Independent Democratic Conference, a group of mostly downstate Democrats who share power with the GOP majority rather that the regular Democratic conference.
IDC members spoke at a May Day press conference on worker’s rights to tout a bill (S.5778) to make it easier for public employee unions to collect union dues from newly hired government workers.
Sen. David Valesky (DOneida) is a member of the IDC and attended Monday’s press conference, but did not speak. In a statement distributed afterwards, he endorsed the bill.
“Our unions bring dignity to the workplace, higher wages and benefits (that) are vital to employees all over our state,” Valesky said. “The IDC will not allow the rights of our unions to erode in anyway, and I am proud to cosponsor this legislation.”
This November, voters will get the chance to cast yes or no ballots on whether to hold a constitutional convention in 2019. The vote is required every 20 years by the state Constitution. If it is approved, voters would elect delegates in 2018 and the convention would meet in April 2019 to propose constitutional amendments that ultimately would be put up for a statewide vote.
Unions and many elected officials oppose the constitutional convention, while reform and anti-tax groups support the proposal. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has endorsed a convention in the past, saying it is the only way to get action on some issues like campaign finance reform. But he has been mostly silent on the subject this year.
If a convention is held, items on the table are likely to including term limits on state legislators, reducing the number of members of the Senate and Assembly, and ending constitutional guarantees for the pay and pensions of public employees.
Delegates could also take up any other issues they wish to, including replacing school property taxes with income tax surcharges, cracking down on massive borrowing by public authorities and curtailing the Board of Regents’ power over schools.