ROB BIAGI TO RUN FOR ASSEMBLY

Community leader to seek Westchester County Assembly seat to fight
for property tax cap to bring relief to middle class families

(June 29, 2008) Rob Biagi today was joined by his family, friends and supporters to announce his candidacy for the 91st Assembly District seat currently held by Democrat George Latimer. The 91st district includes the towns and villages of Mamaroneck, Rye, Larchmont, Port Chester and Rye Brook as well as the cities of New Rochelle and Rye.

Biagi, a resident of New Rochelle, is an attorney with Cohen, Kuhn & Associates. He is the co-founder of the Greater Pelham Road Association, a community organization of local co-op and condo board representatives that serves as the public's voice in city affairs.

Biagi supports a cap on property taxes because he believes property taxes are growing faster than homeowners' ability to pay and placing a major financial burden on middle class families and seniors. They also block young families and long time renters from ever sharing in the home ownership experience. Biagi will also fight against corruption in Albany and bring new ideas and real positive change to the state Capitol.

"We're getting crushed by massive property tax increases that keep going up and up. We need to stop the unfunded mandates, which cause our county and towns to increase property taxes, and deliver effective tax relief to Westchester families by capping taxes," said Biagi.

According to the Tax Foundation, in 2006, Westchester County ranked 3rd in the country for median property taxes paid. For that same year, Westchester also ranked in the top 10 in taxes paid as a percentage of income.

"Unfortunately, our local Assemblyman in the Sound Shore District can't do anything but vote 'yes' to tax hikes, unfunded mandates and pork-laden budgets lest he incur the wrath of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a Wizard of Oz-like character who rules with an iron fist," said Biagi."

"Time after time, George Latimer has stood in the way of property tax relief. He stopped the property tax cap in New Rochelle and now is trying to hurt middle-class Westchester residents again by blocking the tax cap," said Biagi.

"George Latimer just doesn't get it or doesn't care," said Biagi. "First, he was a member of the Westchester County Board of Legislators that raised our taxes over 57 percent in the last seven years, then he voted for over $7 Billion in unfunded mandates, and now he wants to pile it on Westchester residents even more by not supporting the cap on property taxes."

"Latimer has been part of the gang of professional politicians that's turned their backs on the middle class and acted with impunity in driving the cost of living in Westchester through the roof," said Biagi. "Senior citizens and college graduates have left our area in record numbers and the middle class families are stuck with the bill. For these folks, the American Dream of home ownership is turning into a nightmare when they are getting priced out of their homes and locked out of the communities they once desired."

"People deserve better from their elected officials in Albany. I am running to make the families of Westchester County my top priority in the Assembly, and not the special interests," said Biagi.

Biagi said he will fight to lower New York's gas prices – which are among the highest in the nation – by cutting state gas taxes. He also will champion affordable healthcare.

Rob Biagi was born in Mt. Kisco, and raised in Shrub Oak, New York. He graduated from SUNY College at Oswego with a bachelor's degree in political science and then received his law degree from Brooklyn Law School. Rob went to work immediately after law school as an Assistant District Attorney with the Bronx District Attorney's Office. From 1997 to 2000, he prosecuted all manners of felony and misdemeanor crimes and spent the last year in the Narcotics Division.

In 2007, Biagi was appointed by former City Councilman Mike Boyle to the New Rochelle Traffic Advisory Committee.

Biagi is 36 years old, and lives with his wife, Flora, in New Rochelle.