Since 1847, the NYS constitution requires that if the state legislature wants the state to take on debts over a certain $ amount, its 2 houses (the senate and assembly) would have to pass a law explaining the specific purpose of the debt, and then ask NYS voters if they want the state to take on that debt.

In 1903, the NYS legislature asked the voters:

“Shall chapter one hundred and forty-seven of the laws of nineteen hundred and three entitled ‘An act making provision for issuing bonds to the amount of not to exceed one hundred and one million dollars for the improvement of the Erie canal, the Oswego canal and the Champlain canal, and providing for a submission of the some to the people to be voted upon at the general election to be held in the year nineteen hundred and three,’ be approved?”

And the voters said: Yes!