Change NY 2010

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Happily unexpected, thanks Onorato and the Senate for supporting this consideration.
 :mrgreen:

http://www.fairvote.org/instant-runoff-voting

Via BAN

On June 1, the New York State Senate passed S3584B by a vote of 32-29. It lets municipalities use Instant Runoff Voting for their own elections if they wish, in 2011, 2012, and 2013

http://open.nysenate.gov/legislation/api/1.0/html/bill/S3584B

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DF shares their endorsements.

http://dfnyc.org/content/blogcategory/46/106/

Interesting that Schumer did not get this endorsement. I think he will be okay though.


Attorney General:  Eric Schneiderman

...
Congress, District 14:  Carolyn Maloney

State Assembly, District 36:  Jeremiah Frei-Pearson


Some other notes -


http://www.timesunion.com/ASPStories/Story.asp?storyID=939163

Just sign up here

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/07/AR2010060703593.html

DC
Marriage equality for all couples

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If I am not mistaken, it appears almost all the local candidates support better  govt  reforms.
Though I think at least one more than the others.

http://www.nyuprising.org/index.cfm?objectid=DB02861C-C29C-7CA2-F6251D6F74B5AC77

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A bit of an update. First OT, I wish there were more effors like that of the NYCLU which is having a fundraiser later this month.
A good cause, and hopefully a fun event:

http://www.nyclu.org/event/broadway-stands-freedom-0
Broadway Stands Up for Freedom   !!

 :smitten:

http://www.cityhallnews.com/newyork/article-1370-term-limits-irv-in-charter-report-but-punts-on-non-partisan-elections-independent-budgets.html

Term Limits, IRV In Charter Report, But Punts On Non-Partisan Elections, Independent Budgets
Oh my. It may be a bit before we actually see if there are proposals for votes this Nov. If it is the same games regarding term limits, count me out.
If there would be a vote to void the extensions of the current incumbents ... 
To follow for later this year.

http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/albany/20100712/204/3310

Will Angry Voters Throw Albany's Rascals Out?

So we could get a new deck of cards, with hopes of something better. An article of speculation with some fun quotes.

"The Democrats are running this from the top down. Take Gillibrand for example; when someone tries to challenge her they are discouraged.
 Schumer likes having that one vote in his pocket. DiNapoli survived because Shelly [Silver] wants to make sure he has his comptroller installed."

Top down seems to be how things work in NYS regardless of party. :|

And more OT, Colbert Nation rules

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http://www.nyuprising.org/index.cfm?objectid=F12C2B9E-C29C-7CA2-F834E9C5C353B609&dspMode=enemies

http://www.nyuprising.org/

It looks like our local candidates will support reform agendas.
Outside of our districts, there are still many off of the list. I think unless there are term limits, change might take a lifetime.

NYS finally has a budget. Very late, very very late.

http://www.cbcny.org/cbc-blogs/blogs/about-last-night-good-news-and-bad

A view of good and bad news about the current and future NYS budgets:

The worst element of revenue bill passed last night is the plan to "borrow" from the State and local pension funds by under-funding them for up to six years. Required contributions will now be capped, masking the true long-run costs to taxpayers and potentially jeopardizing the soundness of the plans long-term funding.

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I dont think there will be any reason for me to vote Sept 14. But with so many primaries, I will be looking at the results of the several parties.

The link has a pdf which is tentative. Lots there, but also surprising what does not show (yet).


http://vote.nyc.ny.us/pdf/documents/boe/2010PrimaryElection/CandidacyList.pdf  [PDF]


http://vote.nyc.ny.us/candidateslist.html

September 14 - Primary Election
November 2 - General Election

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http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/08/10/taxpayer-party-files-30000-signatures-in-new-york/

Carl Paladino, gubernatorial candidate of the Taxpayer Party of New York, filed 30,000 signatures on August 10, the first day on which petitions for the general election may be submitted. 

  He is also running in the Republican gubernatorial primary in September.

Paladino insists that he will also win the Republican primary.  He has been ambivalent about whether he will withdraw as the Taxpayer Party candidate if he doesn’t get the Republican nomination.

http://polhudson.lohudblogs.com/2010/08/10/faso-backs-lazio-for-governor/

Lazio faces a primary challenge from Buffalo developer Carl Paladino, who is also launching an independent party candidacy aimed at replacing the Conservative Party.

Faso, who was defeated by Eliot Spitzer in 2006 by a historic margin, briefly mentions Paladino in the letter, saying that he has “respect” for him but has made “too many missteps” that will hurt other GOP candidates.

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It feels a little to me like Charlie Brown, Lucy, and the football.
The Commission left the decision for the incumbents, so is there really any reason to change the term limits yet again?   :-(

The other proposals seem reasonable.


http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20100812/203/3334

Charter Commission Approves Ballot Proposals

If it is approved by the voters in November, the proposal would grandfather current elected officials into the three term limit and not affect anyone elected to their first term until after 2013. The commission was split on the time frame, voting 9 to 6.

The commission also approved a ballot proposal to prohibit the City Council from revising the term limit law to affect incumbents. If approved, the measure would prohibit the council from approving a term limit extension similar to what it controversially did in 2008.

Should the voters reject the term limit question, the three-term limit for all elected officials would remain.

Voters will face myriad issues come fall -- from government integrity and transparency to voter participation. On independent expenditures, the voters will have to decide whether to force those spending more than $1,000 to disclose their spending to the Campaign Finance Board.

In the ballot box, voters will be faced with whether to consolidate the Campaign Finance Board and the Voter Assistance Commission. They will have to determine whether during the siting of waste or energy facilities a map used during the deliberative land use process would factor in similar private, state or federal facilities. The measure is aimed at increasing transparency when determining where to put these controversial facilities.

They will also be asked whether fines for conflicts of interest violations should be upped from $10,000 to $25,000, among other proposals.

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It will be interesting when it comes time to trying the new voting machines. Looking over both sides of the ballot, marking smartly, and being certain before casting the ballot.

For NYC, the charter proposals were given a fair deal of consideration.

* Proposal looks to return term limits from 3 back to 2 terms. I wish it would have a more immediate effect, but it gives voters yet another say which is important. But after the last city election, I will not personally be voting on this proposal. [Though I would have liked voters to turn out incumbents]
Maybe in the end the city council will have it as they preferred.

* The other proposals are a grab bag of reforms. Wish I knew if there were any special costs, but they all have strong commission support.
I expect simply to vote for Yes on 2 and see what effects they may have.


http://www.nyc.gov/html/charter/html/home/home.shtml

[and for a detailed pdf on how the charter changes would read  http://www.nyc.gov/html/charter/downloads/pdf/legislative_text_for_ballot_questions.pdf
 ]

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I wish that the race for gov and party recognition were not tied together, alas that remains the case.
Simply voting for the candidate that best could represent me. Easily that is Redlich on the LBT line.

The Sept primaries would determine the candidates of the established 5 lines. D/R/I/C/WFP And it looks like there will be plenty of other choices in Nov.
http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/2010/08/seven-candidates-filed-as-independentthird-party-in-new-york/

Might there be some new parties for NY in 2011?

APP Anti-Prohibition Party: Kristin M. Davis

FDM Freedom Party: Charles Barron (Crayolas!)

GRN Green Party: Howie Hawkins

LBT Libertarian Party: Warren Redlich


RDH Rent is 2 Damn High Party: Jimmy McMillan

TXP Taxpayers Party: Carl P. Paladino

[Update] TEA Tea Party: Steve Cohn

Time machine -
http://gothamist.com/2006/08/27/ny_times_endors.php

"If there are excellent Democratic candidates for governor this year, the race to succeed Attorney General Eliot Spitzer is a lot more contentious"

Now, another vote, and less promising leading choices

http://capitaltonight.com/2010/08/cuomos-first-newspaper-endorsement-the-dn/

If I were voting for Cuomo, would possibly do so on the Indie line. But the party has been disappointing in many ways.

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This is the expected order on the ballot. Que sera.

 F- Green
 G - Rent Is 2 Damn High
 H - Libertarian
 I - Anti-Prohibition
 J - Freedom
 K - Tea
 L - Taxpayer

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Debates that Id like to see:

http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S1769604.shtml?cat=300

ALBANY - Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins and Libertarian designee Warren Redlich want to be included in any gubernatorial debates.
Hawkins outlined major planks of his platform while addressing Capitol reporters Thursday.

"Making the rich pull their weight in our society by paying their fair share of taxes like the stock transfer tax. I'm for a single payer health care system. I'm for fully funded schools and for, instead of hydrofracking, using natural gas as the next fuel going to a renewable system that's carbon-free," he said.

Redlich says the problem is the people aren't happy with both the Republican and Democratic parties.

"We were supposed to have hope and change and this and that and the Republican and Democratic parties have failed the people of the United States and the people of New York," Redlich said.

Hawkins and Redlich, along with former madam Kristen Davis and a couple of other people you've probably never heard of, will be on the November ballot for governor. If all of them were invited to debate and accepted, it would mean each candidate gets about seven minutes in a hour long format.

"Andrew Cuomo is totally in bed with the special interests," said Redlich. "Carl Paladino cuts out the middle man. He's his own special interest and if you want politics free of special interests, you need to have candidates who aren't tied to them."

"We can't expect to do it in one election," said Hawkins. "What we're saying is level the playing field. Make it a fair market without unfair trade practices like excluding us from debates. "

NewsChannel 13 is among the media organizations trying to set up debates among the candidates for governor. Invitees and format are under discussion. Carl Paladino has indicated a willingness to participate. WNYT Vice President and General Manager Steve Baboulis says the station is still waiting to hear from Andrew Cuomo.