New York's 6th Borough [Poll] (Yonkers, Amsterdam: college, to live, vs)

[Alex Libman]

Originally Posted by Fred314X

That's a very interesting notion, for the following reason:

There have been proposals to extend the subway across the Hudson for quite a few years now. It is not going to happen, because if you cross a state line, what is now officially designated as an "urban mass transit system" suddenly becomes a "railroad," and would be subject to Federal guidelines. You can bet the last cent in your bank account that MTA doesn't want any part of having to conform to Federal guidelines with respect to the New York City Transit system (and its workers, who would automatically obtain benefits not currently available).

However, if some city on the other side of the Hudson was to be annexed by NYC, there would no longer be a state line to cross, and any line with east-west trackage in Manhattan could conceivably be extended across the river. The #7 and L lines would become prime candidates, and there could also be an extension of the E or V from the tracks along 53 Street.

Bleh, more problems caused by government red tape... So goes NYC's hopes of staying competitive in the 21st century.

The NYC metro area would be better off if it seceded and became a state in its own right. There have been proposals for NYC secession in the past, though probably not for the whole 22+ mil mega-city involving counties from 3-4 separate states.

Other major cities in the U.S. should do that too, perhaps splitting California and Texas into several chunks. Illinois and Pennsylvania would particularly benefit from cutting out Chicago and Philadelphia, being otherwise conservative states. (Though I'm not sure what would be left of New Jersey and Maryland after the urban areas are taken out.)

All government is bad, but local government is less bad than a far-reaching centralized one because over time people can vote with their feet. Everyone would benefit from a civilized divorce: urban areas would get to keep more of their tax revenue, integrate with their immediate suburbs, get the social conservatives out of their hair, etc; and the more fiscally conservative areas would be able to cut down on the socialist spending they don't want.

[Rachael84]

It's kind of annoying seeing NJ in so many posts. It's another state people. I'm being very blunt with how I feel lol. It doesn't even have a NY feel to it at all.

[Alex Libman]

Political borders are just meaningless lines on the map. Millions of people from NJ commute to NYC for work, or go there for entertainment, etc. Mega-cities need to grow organically.

[Fred314X]

Originally Posted by Alex Libman

Political borders are just meaningless lines on the map.

Technically, yes. But perceptions are things you can't put on a stat sheet or a graph. I'm with you, Rachael: New York is New York, and New Jersey is New Jersey.

As to the question of secession, I'm all for New York City as a separate state. We wouldn't be under the suffocating bureaucracy known as Albany which, if you investigate the history, has been living off the city for nearly 300 years.

There was actually a state legislator from somewhere up in the Adirondacks who proposed redrawing the state's southern border--he wanted to excommunicate NYC. I was honestly hoping the legislature would consider that motion. New York City makes up slightly more than 32% of the state's population--yet we certainly don't get anything like one third of the state budget allocation. When all those people upstate start dancing in the streets at the thought of being rid of New York City, the party will come to a screeching halt when someone points out what's going to happen to their taxes if they haven't got us to leech off.

And without our eight million residents, New York State's electoral vote count in the next election will put it at the same general level of importance as, say, North Dakota.

As you can see, I'm fully prepared for state of New Amsterdam! (Capital, Manhattan. Largest city, Brooklyn).

[Rachael84]

Originally Posted by Fred314X

Technically, yes. But perceptions are things you can't put on a stat sheet or a graph. I'm with you, Rachael: New York is New York, and New Jersey is New Jersey.

Glad someone agrees

[K.O.N.Y]

Originally Posted by Rachael84

It's kind of annoying seeing NJ in so many posts. It's another state people. I'm being very blunt with how I feel lol. It doesn't even have a NY feel to it at all.

Lol. Ya it doesnt have a new york feel too it at all. And thats as soon as you cross the george washington or the lincoln tunnel. I dont see how new yorkers, or supposedly new yorkers u never know on this site lol, would even mention jersey. The only thing we should be mentioning is yonkers or long island. Thats it

[Rachael84]

Yeah...if anything, the extreme southern part of Westchester should be the 6th. When going on an interview in the Wakefield area of the north Bronx, I crossed into Westchester and it still looked like the Bronx. Cross into NJ and it looks totally different.

[HurrMark]

I always thought South Florida was the sixth borough...

[Alex Libman]

Originally Posted by Fred314X

As you can see, I'm fully prepared for state of New Amsterdam! (Capital, Manhattan. Largest city, Brooklyn).

Good idea, but the name might attract too many stoners. How about Gotham?

[limeresh]

! There is graffiti in the Lower East Side which actually states this..
"Da 6th Boro" has been there a long time..