GOP senator proposes studying possibility of two New Yorks

GOP senator proposes studying possibility of two New Yorks

Sen. Daphne Jordan, a Halfmoon Republican, introduced legislation on Friday that would set up a working group to examine the issue of splitting New York into two states.

The legislative memorandum contends that divergent political and social views exist between the downstate and upstate regions of the state, and claims that calls for the two regions to part ways have been growing louder. The proposal uses Rockland and Westchester counties as the northern border of the downstate region.

“Many, both upstate and downstate, have questioned whether or not these regions would be better off separately,” reads the memorandum accompanying the legislation.

The working group would be tasked with studying the economic and legal ramifications of separating the state, and determining the up-front costs associated with a divide, including settling land disputes. They would also have to consider the constitutional machinations of creating a second state.

The group would include the state comptroller and attorney general, as well as appointees from the Legislature, governor’s office and New York State Association of Counties.

According to the legislative memorandum, while there is “considerable debate about the dividing line” between upstate and downstate, Jordan’s boundary is the “most prominent statutory dividing line” and was used for the 2016 minimum wage law (Note: The minimum wage law includes Rockland County in as part of upstate, with Westchester County grouped in with Long Island).

UPDATE: Cuomo senior advisor Richard Azzopardi said “There is pandering and then there is the Godzilla of pandering. This divisive and unserious press release isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on.”

In a tweet, he pointed to the Daily Show piece that covered this issue 10 years ago.