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Opinion: NYS rural voters are 'being screwed over,' says Potsdam resident

Posted 11/20/18

Apparently we, the “rural voters”, of this state failed to take advantage of our opportunity in 2017 for a statewide referendum which could have been used to avoid exactly what happened in this …

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Opinion: NYS rural voters are 'being screwed over,' says Potsdam resident

Posted

Apparently we, the “rural voters”, of this state failed to take advantage of our opportunity in 2017 for a statewide referendum which could have been used to avoid exactly what happened in this year’s gubernatorial election.

Practically, it is impossible to separate NYC from the rest of the sane people in this state. And why would we want to cut off NYC when their tax portion is vital to the “health” of the state as a whole? Obviously, we wouldn’t. But there is a solution.

If a statewide referendum had been held in 2017 we could have pushed for an amendment to the state constitution demanding a substantially equal legislative representation for all citizens in the state. Thus avoiding the perilous quandary we now find ourselves in.

Look at how each county away from a major city and NYC voted. The map is clear. We “rural voters” are being screwed over. The entire state was RED accept for those areas around the cities.

In this map, there is a message that Albany will no doubt turn a deaf ear to because of the population density that denies the rest of us an equal voice and equal access to money, job opportunity, and economic growth.

Of course, the Democrats didn’t want the 2017 State Convention because of one of the biggest if not the biggest political influence the unions, they didn’t want it. The unions played it as the convention would take away state pensions. So in 2017, the referendum for a state convention got voted down. Which raises yet another issue of the largest employer in the state is the state.

Now, another 20 years must pass before the opportunity arises again. This state may not be in existence under the weight of the Democrats agenda.

Tracey Haggett-Sloan

Potsdam