On Tuesday, new Yorkers will have to make some serious decisions, and not all of them relate to the choice of the mayor. On the reverse side of the Bulletin will be published three important issues, on which voters will have to give your answer.
Below we have tried to summarize the key issues related to each question to make it easier to navigate and determine the answer.
«Whether to hold a Convention to revise and change the Constitution?»
Constitutional Convention (or «Con-Con») has long been a cause of fierce debate.
Supporters of the Convention, for example, a government group Citizens Union, believe that it every 20 years is the only way to reform the system and deal with such problems as corruption.
Their opponents, the public unions, are confident that the Convention will change pension and other long-term protection measures for public servants, and not for the better.
To be taken as impartial decision, the opinion will Express all the residents of new York who will come to the polls. If the majority vote for, then those who want to be part of this Convention will be a year to conduct pre-election campaign. Voters in each of the 63 polling stations for elections to the Senate will choose three delegates to participate in General elections scheduled for November 6, 2018. In addition, another will be elected 15 delegates from different States.
204 delegate will begin its work in April 2019. They will discuss how to reform the Constitution and to propose amendments. The decision on introduction of any changes will be submitted to the General vote.
«Do we need an amendment that permits the full or partial forfeiture of pension if an official has been convicted of any crime?»
This change will affect various officials found guilty of committing a crime, which «has a direct and factual relationship to official duties of civil servant».
Currently only civil servants, who took office after 2010, risk losing their pensions if they are convicted of certain crimes. In the case of an amendment, the court can deprive of pensions of convicted officials that received the post until 2011, however, the rule will only apply to offences committed from 1 January 2018.
The idea of the adoption of this amendment due to the fact that more than two dozen officials have been indicted or convicted of corruption, but still receive pension in full.
«Do we need an amendment that would allow city authorities to create person objects in the forests under the protection of the state?»
Protection of nature – it is extremely important. However, sometimes the status of protected territories leads to the fact that the government cannot repair roads or build wells in some areas.
According to the electoral Commission of the state of new York, the amendment will create a land Bank with an area of 250 acres of woodland, which will help to fill those areas in which the authorities cannot avoid performing the necessary work in place to ensure the «health and safety» of residents.
A positive answer to this question will also allow to create cycle tracks and utility lines on some roads crossing protected areas.
More information can be found on the website of the electoral Commission of the state of new York and in the guide for the elections of the organization New York Public Interest Research Group.
