I always thought the best thing to do was push NYC out to sea and pull the plug. I’ve been chastened for not realizing what NYC does for the rest of the state financially, but if it weren’t for NYC, we likely wouldn’t NEED all that money paid in taxes. I’m not impressed with what NYC has done for the state otherwise.
IIRC in the 1970s there was a movement to make NYC the 51st state. Too bad it didn’t go anywhere...