Should NY State Be Split In Two?

This card illustrates NYC's power: Majority Democrats are concentrated downstate. Republican senators represent districts throughout the state.

State Senator Joseph E. Robach has his eye on secession; the Republican proposed legislation that would allow the state's 62 counties to hold a referendum in 2010 asking voters: “Do you support the division of New York into two separate states?” CityRoom takes out the history books, noting that our state's boundaries have been largely unchanged since the Constitution was ratified in 1787. So why now?

The Senator, who represents Rochester, claims “there is a large degree of apparent support for dividing New York into two separate states, so as to separate the distinct social and political concerns between upstate and downstate New York." In fact, he thinks upstate New York has "more in common with Pennsylvania and Ohio than with New York City."

His home city's newspaper says the odds are against him, but takes a look at some possible scenarios if it were to happen. They also take the pulse of local voters, saying they either "love it because they hate New York City or because they think upstate taxpayers send too much money down there." The paper is quick to point out: "New York City subsidizes us." (We actually give Albany $10+ billion more than we get back).

In the past, some noise was made about both Staten Island and Long Island seceding... but for better or worse, nothing ever came of it.

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By Jen Carlson in News on December 30, 2009 5:06 PM

Comments [rss]

Billy

actually "maskedwalnut", nyc uses upstate as your "magical money tree" you would have no healthcare/electricity/clean water if it wasnt for us here in the upstate region. our economy is booming up north of albany and its nyc that is holding us back. NYC is more of a federal city that brings in federal dollars and could not, in its current state, support itself without the help of the other half of the populus of new york. we produce food, clean water, and infrastructure (because we have "acres and acres" to do so) here upstate, while all you produce is pretty pictures and eccentric music. i for one am sick of seeing all my tax dollars going downstate to nyc to a city that does nothing but consume and eat resources so they can play and party all night and "never sleep" and not produce anything for the state, while us upstate have to pick up the tab. so yes, BY ALL MEANS, split new york in 2 at the mohawk river. the countys of washington, saratoga, montgomery, the city and county of schenectady,ect. north can be known by a cool new name like Yorkshire or New Amsterdam while nyc can get stuck with Albany, Troy, Rensselaer, Columbia and Dutchess counties ect. and keep the name of new york.

nick reinhardt

split in 2!

jonathan

allow me to elaborate on a few of the new york city people that say the rest of NY would be worse off.

i ask them do you know where your water and electricity come from in NY..HMMMM anyone anyone. that's right your water comes from a lovely little town in upstate NY and your electricity that powers everything in your city comes from where NIAGRA FALLS that's where. and what does NYC do with ALL the extra power we give them (and don't say I'm wrong with this i worked with the NY power authority) you sell it to the east cost and about a tenth of a percent ever reaches us in the west. so in NY were to become 2 seperate states NYC would then have to pay BILLIONS for the electricity and water and west ny would have a choke hold on NYC IE nevada and california

theMaskedWalnut

i think NY should split into two States. Albany uses NYC and Long Island like we're a "magical money tree". we pay some of the highest taxes in all the USA so the people 'upstate' can pay hardly any taxes and live on acres and acres of land.

i have a great new name for "upstate". its 'East Ontario'

NannyState

Or "Upper Ohio".

S.K.

here are my picks for upstate's new name:

1. Iroquois, after the dominant local tribe

2. Erie, after the famed canal that traverses the state

3. Albania, after its disreputable capital city, and legendary Balkan country

nivek

Or Russia, because there's a Moscow, NY.

dd7

This is a really bad idea. First, there would now be 51 states instead of 50. Second, what's to stop other states then following suit? Philadelphia would probably then secede from the rest of Pennsylvania, maybe L.A. would secede from California - who nows where it would end? We would end up with more and more states, and consequently even more local government than we already have. What a mess! Definitely a really terrible idea.

LB

Nobody Wants a Broke State ! Just take a ride across the Washington Bridge too Jersey . New York State Counties depend on the added revenue from the City to support it . With that said, Why would the upstaters want to leave ? Every State in the Union would kill to have what New York State Counties has in New York City because it's a money maker ! Just another dumb-ass comment from some out of touch Pol. Really how do they pay there taxes upstate with the Unemployment rate up their ? Can somebody explain that to me .

angry_pickle

If NY splits, it would screw up the way the stars are arranged on the US flag.

Ed

Would the new NYC State Troopers gear up with American Apparel Unisexy uniforms ?

Nyctini11

HA!

Petey

Only if we JUST get to break off the 5 boroughs.

MrManhattan

Four boroughs. Staten Island should be given to New Jersey. They deserve each other.

Türküm Lan

WTF? What kind of fucking article is this. Where are they planning to dissect the state from, what are the lines, tell people about that first.. Also, I think Long Island should be split first, I recommend three states, not two.

Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Bronx one state, Nassau and Suffolk one state, and leave the fucking staten island to damn mohawk or mullet or whatever you want to call-state.

LB

Lol, Somebody's got a problem with S.I. ! But yeah Long Island needs to go ! I mean it's just a waste, Hard as hell to get to and travel through ! If you don't have a car forget about it, When it snows, Your trapped out there . While Nassau County Buses accept Metrocards, Suffolk County takes only the Metrocard Transfers from the Nassau Buses . I guess they think they shit smell that good out on the ISland .

faprilano

all for it. why whould NYC continue to subsidize upstate? That's where a significant portion of our financial troubles stem from - cut them loose and stop using our tax revenues to support your conservative ways.