OPINION: What 4 GOP gubernatorial candidates have to say

NY State convention kicks off this week

Rick Lazio

The corrupt Albany political establishment will not fix itself. It will fight reform at every opportunity, using every weapon at its disposal. Right now, the Democratic Party machine - which brought us four years of chronic dysfunction - is pretending it can somehow run against itself. It's a cynical ploy to distract voters so they can stay in power while the state stays in crisis.

We need to bring in someone who's never had a hand in Albany's reckless ways. Someone with government and private-sector experience, who understands what small businesses are facing on Long Island and all over the state; someone with a record of results.

I offer New Yorkers a way forward, toward more and better jobs fueled by lower taxes and energy costs. We need jobs not just for today, but for tomorrow. We need to create a climate where New York is once again known for innovation, investment and growth.

I know how to balance budgets. I did it as a U.S. congressman in 1995 when, as a leading member of the House Budget Committee, I reduced spending and helped draft the first balanced budget in a generation. When I left Congress eight years later, the federal budget was in surplus. The reckless spending and dangerous deficits of today stand in stark contrast to what we accomplished during my time in Congress.

I balanced budgets in my decade in the private sector, too. And I have a record of fighting for and supporting tax cuts - cuts that created investment, jobs and a period of unprecedented economic growth.

We need a leader who will make tough calls and put ambition aside. We need someone who'll do what's right in his four years in Albany, even if it results in political pain. I'll do what needs to be done, and if that means I'm only a one-term governor, sign me up.

I am the only candidate who has the private-sector, law-enforcement and federal experience, and the standing as an Albany outsider. Together, we can rebuild this state.

Steve Levy

New York is facing fiscal insolvency, with the most dysfunctional, unethical government in the nation. New Yorkers are embarrassed and frustrated by the lack of leadership, and fearful of out-of-control spending.

We need a proven, fiscally conservative executive who can balance budgets and curtail spending. I am the only candidate for governor who has said "no" to special interests, extracted union concessions, lived within a tax cap, cut spending and cut taxes. Every candidate says he will cut spending, but attorneys general and congressmen don't balance budgets. Only an executive does. And I have.

I inherited the largest budget shortfall in Suffolk's history and converted it into a balanced budget, going six consecutive years without a general fund tax increase. Our county has its highest bond ratings ever.

New York needs someone with this record to rescue us from fiscal Armageddon - someone with a proven record and a specific plan.

My Contract for New York is an unusually specific, 10-point plan for radical change, to take back government from the special interests and public-employee unions that control Albany. It calls for declaring a fiscal emergency so we can take extraordinary measures - analogous to creating an independent control board similar to that in Nassau. I will place my reforms into a single measure, a bill to save New York, which will create accountability through a single up or down vote: yes to save New York; no to fall into fiscal insolvency.

The bill will include freezing wages; capping property taxes; capping spending; waiving capital gains taxes; ending mandatory arbitration and abused disability rules; eliminating automatic step salary increases; and privatizing the pension system. Others may have adapted these ideas to their platforms; but only I have the record and resolve to put them into action.

Will I lose some votes by being so frank? Sure. But it's time someone had the guts to tell it like it is. You have a real choice this November to send a governor to Albany with a mandate for sweeping reform.

Myers Mermel

I am running for governor to restore the soundness of our government and to get government out of our lives. I'm not a career politician, yet I bring a wealth of experience from my 25-year business career in banking and real estate.

In any effort to resolve complex problems, you have to define what's most important, determine realistic solutions and then stay focused. To restore sound government, I've defined three priorities: job creation, spending reduction and tax cutting.

First, it's important to realize that the government cannot create jobs. But for too long, Albany has hindered job creation by excessive regulation and overtaxing job creators. We need to reduce spending so we can offer businesses a lower-tax environment. We also need to more effectively recruit companies to New York. As governor, I will act as the point person for an expanded economic development team, targeting new companies.

In my private-sector work, I've been responsible for the movement of more than 200,000 jobs into and around New York State. I know better than the career politicians how and why companies relocate. So I will make sure that as New York's chief executive, I am leading the effort to convince other CEOs that they should bring their operations here.

Second, we are facing a $9 billion budget shortfall that can only be remedied by spending cuts. To balance our budget, we must cut education, Medicaid, agency size, labor and pension costs, as well as sell assets. Education is the most meaningful gift we give our children, so reform must be handled thoughtfully.

Third, we must lower taxes through capped or flattened school and property taxes.

I am the only true conservative running, and my message has been well received. I already have 20,000 "fans" on Facebook. People recognize my conservative principles, and that will enable me to raise the funds to compete. People across the country are turning to conservatives to lead. We should allow the voters of New York to have that choice.

Carl Paladino

A recent statewide poll by Newsday and Hofstra showed voter dissatisfaction with state and federal government has reached new highs. More important, voters realize special interest groups control the system through campaign donations and block reforms to reduce taxes or cut spending.

When voters were asked who was responsible, 45 percent chose the State Senate, 37 percent chose the Assembly, 21 percent chose labor unions, and 10 percent chose state employees. They are all correct.

The public-employee-union pension and benefit deals are far too rich and are bankrupting New York. The next governor must make deep cuts in state pension funding. Taxpayers can no longer afford to pay for gold-standard benefits.

New Yorkers also can't afford to pay more taxes. As governor I won't just cap taxes, like my opponents promise - I'll slash taxes by 10 percent in the first six months of my administration.

According to the poll, voters favor lower limits on campaign contributions, but this is only possible on a level playing field. Today, unions contribute to politicians without limitation, but businesses are capped at $5,000. New York Assembly Democrats and the Working Families Party should take notice: I will change this.

I will also change New York's bloated Medicaid system, cutting it deeply to save New Yorkers $10 billion annually. And New York spends millions annually on economic development agencies that create no jobs. I say, close these wasteful agencies down and fire the political hacks in appointed positions.

Voters know there is plenty of blame to go around, and there are no easy solutions. But as a businessman, I know how to make tough decisions. And as governor, I will make long overdue choices.