Upstate New York statehood movement

This page regards the separation of Upstate New York from New York State. The proposed separation of New York City from New York State can be found here.

In the face of lagging job growth in Upstate New York in the first decade of the 21st century, a few living in the region have broached the idea of seceding from New York, in the belief that the state's emphasis on New York City issues has contributed to Upstate's problems. See, e.g., Public Policy Institute of New York (describing problem but rejecting secession as a "pointless discussion").

Some potential grounds for secession include:

1. Desire for lower taxes.
2. Creation of an upstate identity.
3. More conservative outlook upstate.
4. More direct attention on problems in a dying region.

Ironically, in New York City a feeling of undue focus on Upstate issues, as well as a feeling of subsidizing Upstate governmental activities, has lead to a New York City secession movement.

See also

• Urban secession
• San Fernando Valley - an area that has tried to secede from Los Angeles several times, most recently in 2002
• Maine - A state that used to be part of Massachusetts.
• Kentucky - Formerly western Virginia.
• Tennessee - Formerly western North Carolina.
• Vermont - Was once disputed to be western New Hampshire or northeastern New York.
• West Virginia - A state formed by a section of Virginia breaking off from the rest of the state due to opposition to Virginian secession during the Civil War.
• Province of Toronto - A proposal for the secession of Canada's most populous city.
• Politics of New York
• List of U.S. state secession proposals