The Oxford Handbook of New York State Government and Politics

The Oxford Handbook of New York State Government and Politics

Author: Gerald Benjamin

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2012-09-03

Total Pages: 1056

ISBN-13: 0199996350

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New York remains the Empire State. Its trillion dollar economy makes the state a national-and often world-leader in banking, finance, publishing, soft services (law, accounting, insurance, consulting), higher education, culture, and the arts. With more than one in five of its residents having immigrated from elsewhere, New York State is an ethnic and social harbinger for an increasingly diverse nation. Recent years have found it, like many other big states, challenged to achieve effective governance. How is, can, or should such a state be governed? What is its history? What is its future? The Oxford Handbook of New York State Government and Politics offers an unusually comprehensive, detailed, and systematic study of this unique and influential state. The thirty-one chapters in The Oxford Handbook of New York State Government and Politics assemble new scholarship in key areas of governance in New York, document the state's record in comparison to other US states, and identify directions for future research. Following editor Gerald Benjamin's introduction, the handbook chapters are organized in five sections that look at the state constitution, state political processes, state governmental institutions, intergovernmental relations, and management and policy areas. Chapters address a wide array of topics including political parties, campaign finance policy, public opinion polling, elections and election management, lobbying and interest group systems, the state legislature, the governorship, the judiciary, the state's "foreign policy," education, health care policy, public safety, economic development, transportation policy, energy policy, and more. A final chapter, compiled by the state archivist, consists of a most extensive annotated bibliography of resources on state history, state political history, the state constitution, and state political processes. Chapter authors include both scholars of New York State and current and former state officials.


Neighborhood Defenders

Neighborhood Defenders

Author: Katherine Levine Einstein

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2020

Total Pages: 233

ISBN-13: 1108477275

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Public participation in the housing permitting process empowers unrepresentative and privileged groups who participate in local politics to restrict the supply of housing.


New York's Broken Constitution

New York's Broken Constitution

Author: Peter J. Galie

Publisher: SUNY Press

Published: 2016-11-15

Total Pages: 342

ISBN-13: 1438463332

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Examines the significant gaps between what New York State’s constitution says and how the state is actually governed and offers ideas for reform. On its face, New York State’s constitution is an elaborate and impressive aggregation of processes, powers, mandates, and limits. But many of these are “inoperative,” and New Yorkers who read the document and believe what it says will come away with a massive misunderstanding of the realities of state government. The essays in New York’s Broken Constitution seek to clarify the realities by bringing attention to the gaps between what the constitution says and how the state is actually governed, and they provide a disquieting picture of the state of the state’s constitution. Among the topics addressed are state debt and budgeting practices, legislative redistricting, local government, gambling, conservation, and the process of amending the constitution. Written by knowledgeable professionals, the chapters explain the constitutional provisions in question, including the reasons for their constitutional status; how they have been used and interpreted; and the extent of the gaps between the constitutional provisions and practice. Various proposals for reform are also examined. “This is an impressive volume, teeming with invaluable insights. It presents a compelling message: since many of the dysfunctions in state governance are inextricably tied to the organizational structures and policies detailed—and sometimes followed, sometimes disregarded—in the state constitution, constitutional reform is imperative. Anyone concerned about the operation and current dysfunction of New York State government should read this book.” — Vincent M. Bonventre, Albany Law School “This book will be enormously useful in guiding the public and scholarly debate in the lead-up to the November 2017 vote on the question of whether to hold a state constitutional convention.” — John J. Dinan, author of The American State Constitutional Tradition


Well Grounded

Well Grounded

Author: John R. Nolon

Publisher: Environmental Law Institute

Published: 2001

Total Pages: 488

ISBN-13: 9781585760244

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The United States is struggling to control its sprawling land use patterns and to develop a unifying strategy of smart growth. The new millennium has brought with it greater popular understanding of this matter, and it is now known that land use law and practice directly address the problems associated with sprawl. In his new book, Well Grounded, Using Local Land Use Authority to Achieve Smart Growth, John R. Nolon explores the growing interest in land use law and practice that has been stimulated by the public's increasing disfavor with urban sprawl and its support of smart growth initiatives. For land use novices, the book's glossary defines technical terms and each chapter provides basic definitions of all topics before delving into more complicated applications of them. Well Grounded is a comprehensive, easy-to-use, and practical reference for land use officials and professionals, academics, and citizens in all states.