Should Upstate New York be its own state and secede from New York City?

Chris

Upstate New York and Downstate New York are completely different places because all the money and political attention in New York state is focused on New York City. Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester are all struggling cities with crime an drug problems. The populations in those cities have decreased a lot but they don't seem to care in Albany. Also Upstate New Yorkers have different political views than people in NYC. I doubt it would ever happen, but do you think it would be better if Upstate New York became it's own state?

Kaos

This is something that has always been joked about for decades in politics here dividing our state. I think it has pros and cons. We like to think that keeping upstate money in upstate would make us a better place, we all hate hearing about our money going downstate, but I think that there are also alot of financial benefits to NYC being included with us for different grants and voting issues. Just my though.
It is true though, people upstate and downstate are very different, Typically why on forums I always list my location as upstate NY, I always liked not having people assume if you say you're from NY you're from NYC

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hotboards

I absolutely DO believe that Upstate NY should secede from NYC and Long Island. Albany is controlled by NYC and our issues take a back burner. Further, our taxes would be less because the majority of our tax money goes to support NYC. I intend to look into starting a secession organization so we can move forward with this issue. First, I will have to see if there is any actual interest in kicking out NYC and LI. Second, I will have to have help determining how this can be accomplished legally because the number of registered voters in NYC and LI greatly outnumber those in Upstate. Enough is enough. NYC and LI need to become a district just like D.C. The burden needs to be spread throughout all 50 states.

thefivepoints

Well I feel this way if you want the best for your family, good schools, affordable housing, health care, low crime it should not matter if you say your upstate or from the city.
I bet those are the same things that we both want, so that makes us pretty much the same.

People on Long Island scream all the time because their tax money goes upstate and does not come back to fund the school districts in the form of aid. It is definately a two way street.
NYC is another animal the money generated in the form of lottery, and taxes gets spread around. Things are typically more expensive in the city but the city generates so much revenue for the state. That money goes to long Island and upstate.
The problem is Albany, who has the right persons ear in Albany, they dish out the funding and aid. Most times its done fair, but other times it is not.

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thefivepoints

This is a joke right?

wawawebis

An intriguing concept...
I happen to like the diversity that NYS offers and it is one of the reasons I remain a New Yorker. If it was all like NYC or all like upstate, I am not sure I would be happy. Just like I like having the four seasons.

I think there is a belief upstate that NY City drains all the upstate money. However, I am not positive, but I am pretty certain that downstate actually has much more wealth and contributes much more in taxes to the state than all of upstate combined. I will ask the person I know who works on the budget and let you know.

I grew up downstate and now live in Albany and have lived further north. I think there are many things that are similar across our state and rather than fight and blame the different regions we ought to all demand our representatives (aka "Albany") take the time to think through things all session long rather than wait until the final hours to rush a budget through. We need to decide what are essential services for citizens and figure out the most logical way to fund those.

I say we stick together and regionalize.

hotboards

I understand what everyone is saying. NY, out of all 50 states, has the most dysfunctional government. In Western NY, we really aren't represented. Yes, it's true that NYC generates a lot of money for the state. And with all of that money they have a lot of influence in Albany while our needs are ignored. If we could get rid of the corrupt government (including our new governor who wants to tax us to death instead of cutting expenses), then the state might be better off in one piece. I've worked for a lot of corporations who got so big that they'd become unmanageable. I believe this to be the problem with New York State. So, just as you would do with a big corporation, divide the state into two pieces... NYC and LI together... and then the rest of the state, "upstate," with its capital in Albany. Let's get rid of all of the current politicians and start over with all new people. Maybe even make it part of the constitution that you can't run for statewide office if you've ever served in NY State Government before the split. Also, make it so no one can hold the same state office for more than 12 years and outlaw lobbyists. Complete transparency where state expenditures are concerned. Start over, from scratch, and try to do it right. Let NYC and LI keep Paterson as their Governor along with Silver and the rest. Then we'll see how "Old NY" is doing in ten years in comparison with the new "Western NY State." By the way, Paterson is attempting to tax Internet sales even when the seller has no presence in NY State. He signed the legislation and there are now lawsuits stating that this is a violation of Federal Law. He's also trying to button up the tax loopholes on the Indian Reservations re: gas, alcohol and cigarettes, etc. While I don't drink or smoke, the Indians have saved me a lot of money on gas (about 25 cents per gallon) making it possible for me to drive my car. Of course, no one in the state can explain why our gas is 25 cents a gallon more than the national average. Paterson wants his cut of the money but no one wants to do anything about the people who are taking advantage of the situation and gouging us at the pumps. Stick it to the poor people and the lower middle class. The last thing we need in this state is more taxes or higher taxes. We're already taxed to death and because of the corruption in Albany, we ARE being taxed without representation. But, then, who was it who put these stupid fools into office and keeps on electing them?

Big Dan

hotboards..NY has the most dysfunctional government? Have you watched the news lately? Two ex-Illinois governors are now felons, the current governor tried to sell a senate seat is a bound to be impeached if he hasn't already been. Alaska has a senator with a prison term hanging over his head for kickbacks. NY is far from perfect but I doubt it's the most dysfunctional.

As for separating NYC and NYS. I don't know it just doesn't make much sense to me. Both bring their own positives and negatives to the table. Don't forget NYC is the finance capital of the world those profits contribute a helluva a lot to our tax base. Then you have all the art and entertainment in NYC not to mention the millions of jobs NYC has for anybody.

Upstate really only has it agriculture and what's left of manufacturing.

When you look at the budget numbers, NYC compared to say Rochester sure NYC is a lot more they have a lot more in terms of population I'd venture to say at least 4 times a many people. Guess what the same services for more people, cost more money.

As for squeezing out the poor and middle class, that's happening all of the county.

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hotboards

The idiocy started with Nelson Rockefeller. He raised taxes in NY and helped drive out the industry. While you're mentioning the governor in Illinois, you seemed to forget New York's own "Luv Gov," Elliot Spitzer. New York's new governor is no different. After the fall of Elliot, he announced that he was also unfaithful to his wife. Sorry, but if you break a marriage vow you obviously don't hold anything sacred. To conduct an affair, you have to sneak around and lie (add those sins to "cheat"). No, Mr. Patterson shouldn't be governor, either, and I hope the good citizens of NY State throw him out with the bath water. A man who lies and cheats on his wife can't be trusted no matter what the reason. And if you think that the NY State government isn't all that dysfunctional, then why did one of our glorious state legislators make a recent trip to Cuba to study their health care system? But then I suspect that's no crazier than the Federal Government giving a Utah group our hard-earned tax money to study the effects of bovine flatulence on the ozone layer. God protect us all from these idiots. And we continue to elect them. Personally, I'm only going to vote for the next president if he has cute hair.

RockyTop

You just need a couple of more appointed rather than elected officials to run the state.