Steve Levy: "People are upset and want a revolution

Citing widespread voter disgust with Albany, two of the three Republican candidates for governor Thursday promised radical change to lower property taxes and spur job growth.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy and Buffalo real-estate developer Carl Paladino each said voters' frustration with state government was justified. They were responding to a new Newsday/Hofstra University Poll that found 90 percent of Long Islanders are fed up with Capitol goings-on and worried about the economy and state budget deficit.

The poll was released Thursday at Hofstra, where Levy and Paladino participated in a panel discussion. They were joined by State Sen. Dean Skelos of Rockville Centre, the minority leader, and the heads of the state's two major parities.

The event marked the kickoff of Renew New York, an educational initiative by Hofstra and Cablevision Systems Corp. of Bethpage, owner of Newsday and News 12.

Levy, based on his campaigning across the state, said voters fear hard times for their children, are embarrassed by Albany's dysfunction and don't believe state leaders can solve problems. He railed against retirement and disability benefits for government workers and the costly Medicaid program that provides health care to the poor.

"People are upset and they want a revolution," Levy told about 125 people in a campus theater.

Paladino agreed, adding voters' anger at government was rooted in its secrecy. He criticized Gov. David A. Paterson and leaders of the legislature's Democratic majorities for negotiating the state budget behind closed doors.

Paladino also alleged New York's Medicaid bills, the highest in the nation, are due to waves of people coming here for the generous benefits. "We are inviting every poor and disenfranchised person to come into New York State . . . They get full benefits upon arrival."

Paladino blamed new residents for an uptick in crime and "social breakdown . . . it all emanates from Medicaid benefits."

Jay Jacobs, head of the state and Nassau Democratic committees, shot back that people come to New York for economic opportunity, not government handouts.

He ridiculed Paladino's assertion of "a immigrant sitting in South America leafing through the Medicaid rules to figure out what state to move to. I don't think that's what is motivating people," Jacobs said to applause. "There is a statue in the [New York City] harbor that may be the inspiration that brings them here," he said, referring to the Statue of Liberty.

Jacobs was the only Democrat on the panel, though both legislative chiefs and Andrew Cuomo, the presumptive nominee for governor, were invited. GOP gubernatorial candidate Rick Lazio also did not attend.

Skelos was the only state leader that participated.

He and Jacobs sparred over Skelos' claim that state government's dysfunction is rooted in Democrats' control of all statewide offices and both houses of the legislature since 2009. Skelos said voters "want balance, bipartisanship and results."

Jacobs responded, "the theory that Democrats don't know how to run government isn't proven by the facts." He cited Levy's stewardship of Suffolk and Nassau under Thomas Suozzi.

Hofstra and Cablevision are planning other events as part of the Renew New York initiative. Cablevision executive Tad Smith said there would be debates among the candidates for governor and state attorney general and an issues conference in September.