Noah Zweifel is reporting for the Altamont Enterprise two bills that would split New York state into three autonomous regions are making their way through the Assembly and state Senate. At the same time, Westerlo resident Betsy Filkins is appealing to local governments to support the constitutional amendment by adopting home-rule resolutions, allowing for the passage of a law that would radically alter the structure and organization of New York's state governments. The amendment was introduced in the Senate and the Assembly last year by Senator Robert Ortt and Assemblymember David DiPietro, both Republicans. The legislation defines the individual regions as New York, comprising New York City's five counties; Montauk, comprising Nassau, Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester counties; and, New Amersterdam, consisting of the rest of the state's 62 counties. In addition to dividing up the state, the amendment would limit the state government's ability to levy sales tax by imposing a 4 percent cap for the first 10 years. The cap would be lowed to 3 percent thereafter, but taxation would be left up to the region's own local governments. Those governments would be run by regional governors, lieutenant governors, and secretaries of state, along with bicameral legislatures. Read more in the Altamont Enterprise.