Having solved all the problems crippling New York and restoring our state to a veritable utopia of prosperity and abundance, you might think our heroic lawmakers in Albany would be tempted to indulge in more frivolous pursuits. But no sir, you won't find anyone resting on their laurels in Albany, where legislators barely came up for air before tackling one the biggest crises facing New York since bicycles without license plates: The naming of the official state vegetable.
At the end of March, Democratic Senator David Carlucci of Rockland County introduced a bill to make onions New York's vegetable. "Onions are one of the most important vegetable crops in New York in terms of crop value," the bill declares. A week later, Republican Senator Michael Nozzolio of Seneca County had the onions to challenge Carlucci, introducing his own bill that would make sweet corn the official state vegetable. The justification? "Sweet corn is one of the leading agricultural produce in New York producing $70 million in cash receipts in 2005 and is the lead fresh produce vegetable sold in New York state." Also, onions? Come on.
The obvious solution would be to genetically engineer a new vegetable combining the two contenders and call it the Cornion. But State Senator Cathy Young wants to settle this on her website, where she's hosting a poll asking New Yorkers to vote. She explains, "New York counts the apple as its official fruit, the rose as its official flower and milk as its official beverage, we still don’t have a state vegetable." So embarrassing. Get involved, people! And don't stay on the sidelines just because you're alt; Young's poll includes an "other" option, so you can write in a vote for locally sourced ramps or organically grown jícama or whatever. [Via Politics on the Hudson]
