New York Secession

New York Secession denotes the many plans to break up New York State, starting about 150 years ago. Here is a list of the modern ones:

1993 to Present Staten Island secession from New York City

In 1993 Staten Island (Richmond County) got permission from the New York State Legislature for a non-binding referendum to allow it to secede from New York City which currently contains five counties. Then New York City’s-Mayor David Dinkins opposed the vote. The greater than 65 percent Staten Island voters voted yes and called for electing a seven-member charter commission to draft a new Richmond County and independent city Staten Island charters; if charters were approved by the Richmond County voters Staten Island would secede from NYC. All that remains is for the New York State Legislature to ratify the vote to allow the election of the charter commission. However the bill to ratify vote has never gotten out of the New York State Legislature’s committee in recently years it has not been introduced. Since there is no time limit on ratification it can be ratified at any time. The token NYS government that remains would have about the same power as the Queen of England! Because they are creating regions not a new state or moving counties between states; Congress can be legally bypassed. Every twenty years the people of NYS get to vote on whether to hold a NY State Constitutional Convention. If the voters vote YES on the NYS Convention, Delegates are elected for the Convention the following November. The Convention can then submit an amendment to divide NY State into regions with token state government directly to the voters. The next time the Convention vote will be held is Nov 2037. Another proposal is having municipalities to use the NYS constitution home rule section to encourage the legislature to submit the amendment to the voters.

See also

Secession