ALBANY—Former New York State Governor Hugh L. Carey has agreed to chair Stop the Amendment, a new coalition of think tanks, fiscal-policy experts, good-government groups, former state budget
officials, and business groups that is united in its opposition to a proposed constitutional amendment that would radically change New York’s budget-making process.

The coalition will conduct a variety of outreach activities designed to share with New York’s voters and taxpayers broad concerns about the amendment and how it would change New York’s budgeting process.

The proposed amendment “is a power grab and a purse grab,” Governor Carey said at a September 20 event sponsored by the Manhattan Institute’s Empire Center.

The individuals and institutions that are part of Stop the Amendment offer a wide range of arguments against the idea. The Business Council opposes the proposal because it believes it is
likely to guarantee late budgets and drive already high spending and taxes even higher.

Individual and institutional members who are joining Governor Carey in the coalition include:

• Gerald Benjamin, a distinguished professor and dean of liberal arts and sciences at the State University of New York at New Paltz.
  
• Wayne Diesel, a state budget director under former Governor Mario M. Cuomo.
  
• Dall Forsythe, a state budget director under former Governor Mario M. Cuomo.
  
• Edmund J. McMahon Jr.
  
• The Business Council of New York State.
  
• The Citizens’ Budget Commission.
  
• The Manhattan Chamber of Commerce.
  
• The National Federation of Independent Business.

Other individuals and institutions are expected to be added to Stop the Amendment in the weeks ahead.

The Business Council has created a Web site, www.hightaxesnewyork.com, to track news coverage, editorial commentary and other developments related to the proposed constitutional amendment. Daily email updates from hightaxesnewyork.com are available. To receive the updates, email info@hightaxesnewyork.com and put the word "subscribe" in the subject field.

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