Bloomberg Skeptical About Secession But Does See N.Y.C as the 'Economic Engine'
During Michael Bloomberg's weekly radio appearance on 77 WABC, host John Gambling asked him about Peter Vallone, Jr.'s most recent effort to have New York City secede from New York State and form the 51st state. Vallone's reasoning is mainly economic--the city should stop giving money to the state because it isn't getting enough in return.
Bloomberg laughed. "Well, I don't think we're going to secede," he said. "And look, I've known Peter Vallone and his father for a long time and...he said this tongue-in-cheek. That's not going to happen.
"You'd require a change to the state constitution, which we'd never get, and we'd require a change to the federal constitution to go from 50 to 51 states," the mayor said. "So, that's not going to happen. But I think the message, that we are exporting our money to the rest of the state and to the federal government, is the right message.
"Not that there's anything wrong with us doing it. I'm a believer that those that have have to help those that don't. New York is the economic engine of the city and, really, of the country, and it's our job to help people that aren't living in the economic engine. But you can't damage the economic engine, you can't take so much away from it.
"That's what I tried to say to Albany," he said, referring to his recent visit to the state capitol, where he asked the state legislature and the governor to restore some of the money Albany had promised to the city.
- Poll
- Obama (D)
- McCain(R)
- Spread
- RCP Average
- 49.6
- 44.1
- Obama +5.5
- Candidate
- Favorable
- Unfavorable
- Spread
- Obama
- 54.9
- 36.1
- +18.8
- McCain
- 50.7
- 39.6
- +11.1
Vallone was the first City politician to really push the issue of NYC's fair share...
No amendment to the U.S. Constitution is necessary. Article 4 Section 3 spells out the process for a portion of a state to secede and create an independent state. It requires approval by the state legislature from which the new state will be created and approval from the U.S. Congress.
Obviously it would never happen in Albany, but I don't see why Congress would care one way or another.
Really? The first politician to push the issue?
Its been the biggest gripe of city pols for over 150 years. Tammany ring a bell? I would reccommend some good books to combat your impressive ignorance, but assuming you are a pol staffer (which is oh so likely), try google'ing "New York City Secession".
Idiot.
Quite right, it requires no changing of the federal constitution. Bloomberg was just advertising his ignorance.
It would be a good thing if NYC seceded; the only bad thing is that NYC would send two radiclibs to the senate. Upstate might send two conservatives to replace them, but maybe not.
I could then see the drive for Texas, California to secede from the federal government (which is clearly unconstitutional) knowing that they pay a lot more in federal taxes than they get back. It would be nice to see piss ant states like Vermont, Rhode Island and Alaska, who all receive more federal largess than they put into the kitty, squirm.
I MOVED from Jackson Heights because of the Vallone nut case in 1974 and Never looked back
Personally I would vote for Ben Laden then HELLery loot the white house Clinton and Wild Bill the whore monger of all time
I wonder if the Clinton's are going to use Janet kill them Reno again to attack innocent Americans?
HELLery called NYC police murders without knowing all the facts and this trailer trash wants to ruin a country..Why not look at the out of court wrongful death Bill had going on
Peter Vallone RUINED Jackson Heights