CON/CON is just a big political con
New
Yorkers get to vote this Nov.7 on whether or not to have a
Constitutional Convention, or CON/CON as it’s now known. This comes up
every 20 years. We’ve said no to it since 1967. There are good reasons
to keep saying no and also, to say yes. But for me there’s one big
problem: it will cost too much. In fact some people feel it’s the
biggest swindle since our Vice President spent a quarter of a million
dollars to fake-attend a football game.
Here’s
the set-up: delegates get paid. A lot: $80,000. Since many delegates
will also be legislators this gives them a 100 percent bonus---$160,000
for doing two part-time jobs. Pretty sweet. And our tax dollars will pay
for it. (State legislators are set to soon vote themselves pay hikes,
which will fatten their pensions.)
But
that’s not the worst part. Apparently once the convention starts, it’s
open ended. It can go on for a year or forever. The longer it lasts, the
fatter the paychecks and pensions. We’ll also pay for hotels, travel,
parties, meals, halls---millions of dollars to do what can already be
done well by legal, democratic instruments already in place.
So,
this is not CON/CON, it’s a plain CON. A boondoggle at your expense.
Just vote NO! (It's on the back of the ballot that’s where they stuck
it.)
Cynthia Kraman
New Paltz
New Paltz
Publishing history
Poughkeepsie Journal, October 27, 2017
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