Name: Andrew Mark Cuomo
Age: 52
Party Affiliation: Democrat
Occupation: Attorney General of New York State
Decision to Run: The people of New York deserve a government that works, not a government paralyzed by partisan politics and plagued by ethics scandals. My mission for the last three years has been to represent and fight for the people of this great State. I am running my campaign – and I will run the Governor’s office – the way I have run my office for the past three years: working directly for the people. We must reorganize our government, reform its ethics and restructure its finances. To do so, we must overhaul our government, clean it up, pare it down and make it work.
Major Issues: We must clean up Albany and reform how government operates to restore trust and accountability. At the same time, we need to enact a plan to get the State’s fiscal house in order so that we can start living within our means. My Clean up Albany Plan will enact strict new ethics laws, require full disclosure of all legislators’ outside income and have a real independent monitor. I will also propose new campaign finance laws and an independent redistricting commission. My Plan to get the State’s Fiscal House in Order calls for enacting a spending cap and freezing state taxes as well as salary increases for state workers. Reducing state spending must be coupled with imposing a cap on rising property taxes.
Top Priorities: We need to make New York the jobs capital of the country, putting New Yorkers back to work and maximizing opportunities in the innovation economy. Aiding business owners, retaining and creating employment opportunities, and investing in higher education are a central part of my plan to revitalize our economy.
Editor’s Note: Carl Paladino and his campaign were the only candidates who did not respond to more than a dozen requests to fill out this questionnaire. The information below was obtained from his campaign web site.
Name: Carl Paladino
Age: 64
Party: Republican
Occupation: Private Real Estate Developer
Background: Across 40 years in private business, Paladino has built a real estate development company which, in some of the most difficult economic periods of our life time, has been the only private company building in Buffalo. Today, he directly employs hundreds of workers and provides work to thousands across New York State. His company controls a half billion in assets and, with a personal worth of $150 million, Carl has pledged to spend up to $10 million of his own money in his campaign for governor of New York.
Paladino is not a politician. He is known for speaking his mind – especially if folks don’t want to hear what he is saying.
Major Issues: TAXES – New Yorkers are taxed more than any other state in America and Albany makes it worse every year. As Governor, Paladino will cut taxes by ten percent in the first six months of his administration. And to keep taxes low long after he’s gone home, he will change the law and require a super majority vote of both Houses – 60 percent – for the State Legislature to raise our taxes.
JOBS – New York lost 247,000 private sector jobs last year but Albany has done nothing about it – except hire more bureaucrats. Paladino knows only cutting spending and taxes creates jobs. He’ll give New York manufacturers a tax holiday to reinvest profits and create good paying jobs. A Paladino administration would be pro-business – keeping companies in New York and attracting new ones.
