or Login to see your representatives.

Access Candidates' and Representatives' Biographies, Voting Records, Interest Group Ratings, Issue Positions, Public Statements, and Campaign Finances

Simply enter your zip code above to get to all of your candidates and representatives, or enter a name. Then, just click on the person you are interested in, and you can navigate to the categories of information we track for them.

[x] close
Print Track This Legislation

Key Votes

A 8501 - Government Consolidation Bill - Key Vote

New York Key Votes

Michael Benjamin voted Yea (Passage) on this legislation.

Read recent statements Michael Benjamin made in this general time period.

Stages

Family

Issues

Stage Details

Legislation - Signed (Executive) -

Title: Government Consolidation Bill

Signed by Governor David Paterson
Legislation - Bill Passed (Senate) (46-16) - (Key vote)

Title: Government Consolidation Bill

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends current requirements for the consolidation or dissolution of certain local government entities.

Highlights:
-Specifies that "local government entities" do not include school districts, city districts or special purpose districts created by counties under county law (Sec. 750). -Allows consolidation proceedings between two or more contiguous government entities to begin through either a joint resolution or consolidation agreement by the governing bodies of the local government entities, or through an electoral initiative (Sec. 751). -Mandates that a public hearing must take place regarding the proposed joint consolidation agreement set by the local government entities that are being consolidated, between thirty-five and ninety days after consolidation proceedings first begin (Sec. 754). -Enables electors of two or more local government entities to commence a consolidation proceeding by filing a petition with the signatures of either at least ten percent of the number of electors or five thousand electors, whichever is less (Sec. 757). -Provides that electors may cause a referendum to be held on the proposed consolidation of two or more local government entities and thus stop it from occurring, provided that a petition for a referendum is submitted not more than forty-five days after a consolidation is approved by these entities (Sec. 763). -Allows for proceedings regarding the dissolution of local government entities to be put in motion through a resolution of the governing body endorsing a dissolution plan, or through an elector initiative (Sec. 773).
See The Voting Record

Legislation - Bill Passed (House) (118-26) - (Key vote)

Title: Government Consolidation Bill

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends current requirements for the consolidation or dissolution of certain local government entities.

Highlights:
-Allows the consolidation proceedings to begin through either a joint resolution or a consolidation agreement by the governing bodies of the local government entities or through an electoral initiative [Sec. 751(2)]. -Holds a public hearing on the proposed joint consolidation agreement, set by the local government entities that are being consolidated [Sec. 754(1)]. -Enables electors of two or more local government entities to commence a consolidation proceeding by filing a petition with the signatures of at least ten percent of the number of electors or five thousand electors, whichever is less [Sec. 757(1-2)]. -Does not enact the elector-initiated consolidation plan unless a majority of the electors vote in favor of such a plan in a referendum [Sec. 763(8)]. -Allows for the dissolution of local government entities to begin through a resolution of the governing body endorsing a dissolution plan, or through an elector initiative [Sec. 773(2)].
See The Voting Record

Legislation - Introduced (House) -

Title: Government Consolidation Bill

Sponsors

Co-sponsors

About Project Vote Smart

Help Us If You Can

Media & Communications

Education

For Candidates

One Common Ground, Philipsburg, MT 59858 Hotline: 888-Vote-Smart (888-868-3762)
All content © 1992 - 2013 Project Vote Smart unless otherwise attributed - Privacy Policy - Legislative demographic data provided by Aristotle International, Inc. Mobile Version

Back to top