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Help Restore New York State to Greatness.

Governor Patterson of NYNY State Faces Fiscal Crisis!!  

That has been the headline story that Governor Paterson has been issuing since his taking control of the state government earlier in 2008.  And it's the most serious crisis our State has faced for decades!

Nothing Being Done by the Assembly!!

What started out as a modest problem quickly escalated and the governor called the legislature back into session in August.  Nothing happened at that session.  The governor subsequently notified the public and their representatives that the problem has continued to worsen and that next year a ~12% or $15B gap exists.

Nothing Being Done by the Senate!!

The senate went back into session in December - nothing happened!.  The governor issued his proposal for closing the gap in mid-December and everyone complained.  The legislature comes into session in early January with a few new players, a Democratic majority in the senate and continuing dysfunction.  

What Can We Do to Change Albany?

Attend our Public Meeting On January 15th !!

CBGNY will host a public meeting in the Brighton Library Learning Center starting at 6:45PM with refreshments and CBGNY business. 

Rick DollingerAt 7PM, our featured speaker, Rick Dollinger, will provide his perspective on the fiscal crisis and the way that our state government is dealing with it.  He will discuss the government process and what changes may improve the way that the state's problems may be better dealt with.  Rick Dollinger is well known in the area as well as experienced in the machinations in Albany.

Finally, he will give his impressions on the Governor's State-of-the-State address and what are the other major challenges that he faces.     Rick recently ran for the senate seat that he previously held.  

 

Please join us for Rick's discussion on these timely and important topics.  Learn what you can to do help solve this complex issue!  We need your help!

Thursday, January 15th at 6:45 PM, at the Brighton Library Learning Center.


DonateCan you chip-in to support CBGNY?  We have an all-volunteer group, with no paid employees, contractors, or consultants.  But we do have expenses for mailings, advertisements, computer and web hosting.  Please consider giving as much as you feel able!  Your donation counts!    Sorry, not tax deductable.

Citizens, watch our dysfunctional state officials in a rare public appearance:

The video below of the November 18, 2008 special session of the state legislature, called to address the imperative need for budget cuts, is a perfect illustration of our state government's dysfunction. You won't see your state representative in this video, because he or she isn't necessary. Instead, the two legislative leaders and the governor join with the two minority leaders in an orgy of counter-productive posturing and finger-pointing. Members left without taking any action.
 
There could hardly be a better illustration of the need for changes to the legislative rules that make this three-men-in-a-room process possible.


Be sure to catch the portion at the end.

Bob Volpe - Citizens for a Better New YorkLawmakers: Put people before politics

by Bob Volpe - Citizens for a Better New York - 11/12/08

Now is the time for Republicans to become states­men and act to change the state Senate rules to benefit all New Yorkers. The GOP has had control of the Senate for more 40 years, but in January, the Democrats will take over. Be­tween now and then, the sena­tors have the opportunity to de­fine the environment in which they’ll work, in which the GOP will be the minority party.
 
We urge them to immediately adopt key changes recom­mended by the Brennan Center for Justice in 2004:

• Strengthen the committee process.
• End leaders’ stranglehold over bills getting to the floor.
• Institutionalize the use of conference committees.
• End leadership control over resources and staff.

Read more...

We urge voters to send a strong message to Albany's legislators on Election Day. Write In Voter

Voters have a chance to send a very clear message by writing 'CHANGE NOW 'on their ballot for state offices. We have a chance to make Albany more effective. 

Take the time to evaluate the people running. The real questions to ask are:
 
1: ‘How will you advance the common interests of all New Yorker’s by changing the rules of the legislature and ending ‘Three Men in a Room’?”,  and
2: "Will you support the public's interests over special interests by changing the campaign finance laws?"

 Two things count for Albany legislators: campaign contributions and votes. 

  • Make your vote be a loud and strong message for change to overcome the influence of special interest campaign money.

  • If you think the candidates’ answers to the above two questions above aren’t good enough, use your ballot as a protest vote by writing in ‘CHANGE NOW!’ in the write-in box above the line for their office.  Just slide open the door and write on the paper. 

It's easy to express your opinion via a write-in vote.  More information is here.

 
Pledge for reforming New York's Government
New York's problem: the people in our legislature too often owe "special interests" big time.  
What can you do?
Visit your legislators and ask them to sign the "Pledge for Change", sponsored by CBGNY, Common Cause, and other non-partisan groups.
Both Democrats and Republicans need to sign.   Read details here.
Citizens Rally for Reform of New York Government on April 29, 2008Reform Day was held on April 29, 2008 in Albany. 
In cooperation with Common Cause, CBGNY members met with legislative leaders one-on-one, to learn of their opinion on urgently needed reforms.

For the most part, legislators passed on the usual "agree with us in concept, but not now".  We have work ahead.

To watch a brief two-minute video, featuring CBGNY President Stu Berger, Click Here.

CBGNY Holds Annual Meeting, and exposé of how New York State government became so dysfunctional

On June 3rd, CBGNY, Inc. held its annual meeting as required in the by-laws.  Roughly 20 were in attendance.
 
Treasurer Rich Barone prepared a financial report that was shared with the attendees.  VP Rome Celli gave a synopsis of the year's events and highlights. 
 
Dave Lum, a member of the nominating committee for officers of CBGNY, Inc. introduced the slate of candidates and asked if there were nominations from the attendees.  There were none and the slate was accepted by acclimation. 

The officer for 2008-09 are:
President-          Stu Berger
Vice President-   Neil Jaschik
Treasurer-           Rich Barone*
Secretary-          Reg Neale
   * Rich has agree to serve out the calendar year.  We need someone to step up to the plate and take over for Rich hopefully with adequate overlap so that the dimensions of the job can be learned.
 
President Stu Berger presented a view of the development of the NY State government starting at the inception of European colonization and tracing the events that led to the first state constitution in 1777.  

  • From there he showed the changes that occurred and talked a bit about the forces that directed change. 
  • The 3 questions that he posed at the start of the presentation were answered either by the material presented during the evolution of our government or at the end where he pointed out that the rules of the legislature were not prescribed in the 1777 constitution except that there was a direction to follow British Common Law. 
  • This indicated that the parliamentary procedure which encourages open debate and respect for the minority has been lost in the highly politicized legislature of today.

DonateCan you chip-in $15 for CBGNY membership for a year?  It's CBGNY membership dues time for 2008 with a minimum of $15 contribution per member requested.  Please consider giving as much as you feel able, our treasury has been depleted!  Your donation counts!    Sorry, not tax deductable.

Following is Satire

Above is Satire:  In The Know: Are Politicians Failing Our Lobbyists?

Imagine Albany filled with politicians owing nothing to special interests. "Clean Elections" will make this reality.voter opinion about "clean money - clean elections"

Thanks to Citizens Action, a poll was completed in April 2008.  79% of voters want Clean Money - Clean Elections.  Read the complete report details by clicking on the links below:

Poll results show overwhelming support for Clean Elections

In a new poll, New Yorkers of all political stripes show overwhelming support for public financing of elections for statewide and legislative offices, even in tough times for the State budget. Click here for a summary of the poll results. Click here for the full poll results.

YouTubeMore Information from YouTube on Clean Elections:
Beth Edmonds, president of the Maine State Senate, talks about the benefits of Clean Elections-style public financing of elections. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIHlZ_5P58w

Excellent TV spot from Arizona Clean Elections Board: http://youtube.com/watch?v=aqIGL2hhLeU

Good "real life website" of the official Arizona Clean Elections commission: http://azcleanelections.gov/ccecweb/ccecays/home.asp

For details on CMCE, view this excellent four-part series prepared by Metro Justice.  You'll find that this is a non-partisan campaign to clean up state government.  View first part at the link below.  Then look for other "TV Dinner" links to the right of the YouTube page:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pm27KMR3FE

General Important Concerns of New York's Citizens

People are concerned about Education, Jobs, Health care, Property taxes, and other important issues. Serious problems are not being addressed because the machinery of government in Albany is broken.

The first step to fixing New York's problems is to fix Albany. The health of New York cannot be restored unless the legislative process is open, fair, democratic, deliberative, transparent, effective, and accountable to citizens. Healthy government is the prerequisite for a healthy State. (Why This Matters)

Who's Buying our State Legislature?  Find Out the Answers on a revealing website:

Project Sunlight [Sunlightny.org]  "Project Sunlight" easily exposes the links between donors, lobbyists, contracts, campaign contributions, proposed laws and elected officials.

Special Interests use big money to buy our elected officials. We need legislators to work for us on – health care, jobs, education and property taxes.

Fundamental Process Reforms

CBGNY is campaigning for fundamental process reforms which will put our State on the road to recovery. Now is the ideal time to press legislators for commitment and action on reform.

Citizens demand action by our Legislature. Add your name to the petition supporting Reform and join the E-march on Albany. (ReformNY Petition)

CBGNY is a non-partisan, statewide citizens organization dedicated to changing New York State's government. Our State's legislative process has been described as the "most dysfunctional in the nation."* Working together, citizens can help to fix our State, and build a better future. Our ultimate goal is a healthy State where all citizens can prosper.

* Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, Press Release dated 7/21/04, accompanying publication of its report: "The New York State Legislative Process: an Evaluation and Blueprint for Reform"

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