Southern Tier New York Towns Look to Join Pennsylvania

File this one under 'pipe dream' as every state in the union has secessionist sects and these movements never come to fruition. Moving territory from one state to another requires acts of both state legislatures and the US Congress. But let's pretend. Here's what 15 Southern Tier towns want to do.

Binghamton TV station WBNG reports that leaders of unnamed Southern Tier towns would like to drop New York and join the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

"The Southern Tier is desolate," said Conklin Town Supervisor Jim Finch (R). "We have no jobs and no income. The richest resource we have is in the ground."

Finch said the ground in Conklin is rich with natural gas in the Marcellus Shale. However, that shale is unable to be tapped. He described this ban as a violation of his natural rights as a property owner.

There are 15 towns interested in the secession, according to the Towns Association. These towns are in Broome, Delaware, Tioga and Sullivan counties. The association declined to name the towns without their permission and also declined to comment on specifics at this time.

Secessionist movements are nothing new, in New York or elsewhere in the country. Long Island has made plans to break away from the rest of the state. Michigan's Upper Peninsula would love to become the state of Superior. Northern California and portions of Oregon have dreamed of becoming the state of Jefferson and California voters had the chance to appove of the "Six Californias" plan.

[WBNG-TV]