CITIZEN POWER ALLIANCE

COAX MEDIA RELEASE - August 8, 2011
(518) 618-2045
www.coaxny.org
coaxny@gmail.com

Governor Cuomo Signs Article X
Strips Home Rule from State's Municipalities

On August 4, 2011 Governor Andrew Cuomo stripped away the municipal "Home Rule" rights of the very public that elected him, by signing into law the "Power NY Act." Also known as Article X, this swiftly passed law was prompted by separate bills initially sponsored by Senator George Maziarz (R - 62nd District) and Assemblyman Kevin Cahill (D - 101st District). The combined bill passed both houses with very little public input, late at night behind closed doors. The public's rights were taken - literally - while they slept. COAX would like to say thank you to our elected officials who did the right thing and voted against Article X trying to preserve Municipal "Home Rule", unfortunately, too many voted yes.

Coalition On Article X (COAX) was formed to preserve and regain our municipal "Home Rule" rights, taken away by New York's Governor, Senators, and Assemblypersons who voted to strip the public of their ability to govern their own towns.

COAX members are appalled that Article X/Power NY Act was signed into law without any discussion from our elected officials to the citizens they were elected to represent. We find these actions to be totally unacceptable. New York State has always prided itself on the fact that it is a "Home Rule" State.

Municipal "Home Rule", although never perfect, was implemented by local officials who actually live, work and raises their families within our home communities. "Home Rule" has been a viable municipal management tool for decades due to the very fact that community decisions were being made by duly-elected, caring and involved residents of the area. In direct contradiction, the "Power NY" Act allows unengaged, and mostly unelected, Albany bureaucrats to enact monumental zoning and planning decisions in New York State's municipalities, to site electrical power plant in any municipality without local approval.

New York State legislators involved in this over-reaching under the auspices of streamlining the siting of energy facilities, are simply interested in - as Chris Horner of the Competitive Enterprise Institute puts so well - a Power Grab!
COAX promises to tirelessly and continually oppose the power-grab of the elected officials who voted 'yes' for Article X and to engage like-minded citizens to take back our municipal "Home Rule".