The Electoral Map - Blog - April 16, 2008

Should New York City Secede From the Empire State?
 

t’s an absurd proposition right? Well, in light of tensions between the City and state over plans to ease traffic congestion in the five boroughs (Bloomberg wants to impose higher bridge tolls), at least one pundit thinks its a good idea.

“There is only one real solution to this problem long-term,” writes the The Current’s Reihan Salam, “New York city needs to secede from New York state and take its fate in its own hands.”

It’s not the first time this idea has been floated. According to the Wikipedia page on the subject, secession has been semi-seriously proposed by New York politicians at least three times.

When I wrote the post about “The Collapse of the Empire State,” I spoke with demographer Joel Kotkin who thought that the “the City is the only thing keeping [the state] from bankruptcy.” So New York State probably needs New York City more than the city needs the state.

Of course, a rift would create two very different places: One wealthy and urban state dominated by Democrats where hundreds of languages are spoken, and one poorer, whiter Rust Belt state where Republicans have the upper hand.

The Big Apple would also probably be a reliably blue state while Upstate would be more purple. The rift will likely never happen, but if it did, who would gain more - the Democratic Party or the GOP?

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