Voters reject budget reform, approve transit bonds

New York voters soundly rejected a measure that would have substantially altered the state’s budget process, shifting authority from the governor to the Legislature, but approved a bond that will finance statewide transportation projects.

 

The controversial budget proposal—opposed by Gov. George Pataki and Attorney General Eliot Spitzer--would have amended the state Constitution, creating an Independent Budget Office with members appointed by the Legislature. It also called for a contingency budget based on the previous year that would have gone into effect if the Legislature and governor could not agree on a budget by the beginning of the fiscal year.

 

The much less contentious transit bond proposal will allow the state to borrow $2.9 billion to purchase and repair subways, trains, buses, highways and bridges throughout the state. The new debt will be repaid out of the state’s general revenues over several decades. A similar bond measure for $3.9 billion was rejected by voters in 2000.

 

Election Results

Proposition One—Budget Reform Measure: Yes -- 689,264 (36 percent); No -- 1,251,703 (64 percent)

Proposal Two—Transit Bonds: Yes -- 1,092,897 (55 percent); No -- 886,867 (45 percent)

 

 

For the Budget Amendment:

Common Cause New York    

 

Against the Budget Amendment:
The Business Council of New York State

 

Budget procedure and transit bonds
Ballot measure calls for a power shift to overhaul a budget process

New York Post

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