STATEMENT FROM ROB BIAGI ON CRITICAL NEED FOR SENDING NEW REFORM-ORIENTED LEGISLATORS TO ALBANY DURING THIS ECONOMIC CATASTROPHE

(October 24, 2008) “It’s not too late for the people to rise up and vote out ubiquitous but ineffectual incumbents – the same legislators, including George Latimer, who have led New York down a seriously troublesome path,” said Rob Biagi. He added, “We don’t have to wait another two years until 2010 to vote for real change – when I, someone from the outside with a resume as a tough prosecutor and no-nonsense advocate for urgent reform, am ready to shake up Albany and help chart a new course right now.”

“As it stands less than two weeks before Election Day, this year’s budget deficit exceeds $2 billion and next year’s is projected at a staggering $10 billion. Considering all the difficulty Latimer and his legislative colleagues had in coming up with only $420 million in cuts during the August emergency session, how in the world can this same dysfunctional bunch of unaccountable (they’re not slated to make any more cuts until after the election on November 18th) incumbents make the necessary $12 billion in trimmings to balance the budget for 2009/2010,” Biagi noted. “As people lose their jobs during the Wall Street meltdown, applications for Medicaid are way up – 30% already between December and April, according to state Health Department spokeswoman Claudia Hutton. There is now talk about looking to the federal government – which lately has been freely leveraging American tax payers’ futures by racking up unprecedented national debt - to step in and help pick up the added Medicaid costs,” said Biagi. “Factor in an insolvent unemployment insurance fund that will be strained even further by over 200,000 projected job losses in the coming months (unemployment claims are already up 25% from a year ago) and it’s crystal clear that we’re teetering on the edge of a collapsed state,” Biagi said.

“I ask the people directly: How much more of this can we take? How much more bad news highlighting how unprepared and mismanaged New York government was before this crisis will it take for voters to realize that continuously reelecting incumbents back to office 98% - that’s right, 98% - of the time has created a dangerous, unaccountable and out-of-control state legislature? Just how high do these deficit numbers have to go before we vote fresh candidates into the Assembly and Senate that aren’t busy making crippling deals with special interest groups three weeks before an election? If all of us agree that Albany is broken and corrupt, why do we keep sending the same people up there,” Biagi asked.

“Here in the Sound Shore district, it starts with George Latimer. Ask yourself: Has he been out front for us on the property tax crisis in Westchester? No. Since he became Assemblyman in 2004, Westchester went from number 3 to number 1 as the county with the highest property taxes in the United States. And, he still opposes a tax cap when most everyone one else, including most prominent Democrats support it, except for Sheldon Silver, of course. Speaking of Sheldon Silver - the widely acknowledged biggest opponent to the interests of Westchester residents (and who now supports reinstating the commuter tax, by the way) - has George Latimer stood up to him or voted against him on our behalf? No. Latimer has a 98.9% voting record with Speaker Sheldon Silver. With respect to this year’s budget, did George Latimer try to prevent an increase from last year’s budget due to the early warnings from the state Comptroller’s office about a slumping economy? No. Rather, he voted, in support of a final budget that raised spending 5% over last year. Now, the state is scrambling to make nearly $12 billion in drastic cuts as a result of its narcotic-like addiction to special-interest fueled spending. Is the Sound Shore district any better off today than when George Latimer first took office in 2004 (remember, he ran unopposed in the last election in 2006)? No. Homes are in record foreclosures, families have left the area in droves, senior citizens are getting pounded over the head with massive property tax bills, and we still haven’t received enough aid from Albany for our serious flooding problems in the district. So, for what logical, thoughtful, or intelligent reason would someone vote to re-elect George Latimer to another term,” Biagi asked.

He added, “I call upon our residents to act now to change our representation in the state Assembly. We need a new course, with new leadership and a fresh, independent perspective from a candidate who has no debts or favors owed to any special interest groups. I can’t sit by another day, let alone another 730 days, while our state legislators run New York (and Westchester) into the ground. Neither should you. I’ll work closely with Governor Paterson (whose done a marvelous job so far and a daring one at that) to remedy the crisis facing our state and our district before it gets any worse. In contrast, my opponent will do whatever Sheldon Silver tells him to do and I even bet he’d vote to reelect Mr. Silver as the Speaker again in January when his term is up (go ahead and ask him). This election day you will have had a choice to avoid that. I will honor my word and devote all of my resolve to make sure that for once, your voice will be heard in Albany. It’s the least you can expect from a representative, right?”