There are reasons why our once-proud Empire State has the highest taxes in the nation, the worst business climate, and politicians who are more than willing to take your hard-earned tax dollars and dole them out to buy votes.
The propositions on the back of this year’s election ballot are designed for the sole purpose of keeping the state’s now Democratic majority in power for the next 20 years. If you like the way the state is being run with mandates, bail reform and taxation, vote yes. If you’ve had enough as I have, think very carefully about your vote.
Take Proposal One, for example, changing the apportionment and redistricting process for elections. I call it, “Give us more power to change the election district lines to make it easier for us to win.” They want to amend the process for counting the population, and change the requirements for the appointment of bipartisan redistricting directors to give more power to their political cronies so they can stay elected. We should vote a resounding “No” on this blatant attempt to tilt the playing field in favor of the entrenched powers-that-be.
Proposal Two sounds great: the “Right to Clean Air, Clean Water and a Healthful Environment.” But beware. The last I checked, New York is laden with laws and programs to protect our environment and, so far, I think they’ve worked pretty well. So why a proposal like this? Simply put: to give the politicians and the bureaucrats more power and control over our lives. This is a job- and opportunity-killer and will regulate our economy so heavily that no one will want to do business here. The politicians, some with good intentions, have named this bill appropriately. The title of the bill is great, who wouldn’t want clean air, clean water, and a healthful environment? Beware — there is a cost for this change to our State Constitution that we will have to pay for.
Next is Proposition Three, which is a stellar example of why we can’t trust one-party rule in Albany. This would allow people to register to vote less than 10 days before an election. What better way to hold onto power than to flood districts where they’re in trouble with new voters, so that they can hold onto the seats.
Having trouble winning? Just change the law so that all newcomers in the district can be registered in any given community right before Election Day. I’m sorry for being so blunt, but we really need to take a careful look at what the politicians are trying to do here.
If you’re tired of arguing over stolen elections and want to keep integrity in our voting system, say no to this proposition.
The same goes for Proposition Four, an amendment to authorize “no-excuse” absentee ballot voting. While I agree that legal residents should vote and we should make it easy for them to do so under any circumstance, there must be checks and balances. Currently, if you cannot vote in person, you have to request an application for an absentee ballot. They then send you the application; you complete it, sign it, and send it back. Your voter registration is then verified and the ballot is sent to you. When it is returned, the signature from the application and the ballot can be compared. Requesting an absentee ballot online and digitally signing it does not give the Board of Elections the opportunity to compare signatures.
While I support no-excuse absentee voting, I fear the digital request for a ballot — which has been allowed during this COVID period — could potentially give politicians the ability to harvest votes. At a time when more scrutiny should be paid to fair and honest elections, this will flood the zone with questionable ballots and make it easier to cheat. Please reject this NYS Constitutional Amendment and fight to preserve what’s left of our democratic process until such time as it includes the right to compare signatures.
I really wish this state’s elected officials would concentrate their energy on ideas that will help our economy, cut our taxes, and make New York a more affordable place to live with jobs and opportunities for our children. Instead, voters are presented with propositions that do no such thing. Sad to say, but if they pass, it will enable the current political machine to further control our state. Just Say No.
League of Women Voters of N… by RiverheadLOCAL
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