Over the past several years, New Yorkers have been calling for reform. State government must acknowledge that the practices of the past which have made New York less competitive economically, and which threaten the future of our children cannot be allowed to continue. Every area of state government must come under the microscope of public scrutiny and true reform enacted which creates a climate conducive to economic growth, and the preservation of personal liberty.

The following are areas which need to be addressed in order to provide citizens of New York with the reform we so desperately need.

Industrial Development Agencies throughout New York have been created for the purpose of supporting and promoting the growth of industry. The principal tool of the IDA is to offer financial benefits to prospective companies either as tax abatements, low interest loans, and sales tax exemptions. The objective is to enhance employment and to encourage growth in industry.

The practice of offering one company an incentive to invest in New York while passing the cost of that incentive onto the taxpayers has failed to produce meaningful long term benefit to the residence of New York. In fact, recent studies have concluded that over the past 20 years, subtracting publicly funded job creation, New York has not produced 1 (one)net net private sector job.

Additionally, though incentives provide some benefit to a particular company, they also create an artificial competitive advantage which often adversely affects competitive interests within New York. While well intentioned, IDA's have done more harm than good.

Therefore, when elected to the New York State Assembly, I will propose legislation which will eliminate IDA's throughout New York. This will level the "playing field" for all companies wishing to do business in New York.

The importance of manufacturing, which includes commercial farms, cannot be under stated. Every effort must be made by the state to promote the growth and establishment of manufacturing concerns. In just the past year, New York lost over 24,000 manufacturing jobs.

Therefore, when elected I will propose legislation which will make all property used exclusively for manufacturing, including all land owned and used for commercial farming, be exempt from any and all property taxes.

Alone, this one item could provide a major economic investment incentive which would improve the competitive advantage of all New York manufacturers competing in a global economy. Additionally, the existence of manufacturing property tax exemption would be a major attraction to all manufacturing concerns wishing to expand in or into New York.

At present, New York has one of the highest costs for energy in the country. As a result, power is a major consideration when expanding or relocating a business. Every year companies discontinue operation, relocate to other states, or determine not to expand in or into New York due in part to the cost of energy. The practice of micromanaging the cost of energy to one company or another has failed to encourage substantial growth in manufacturing. In fact, New York continues to lose manufacturing companies at an epidemic rate.

Therefore, when elected I will propose a limit on the cost of power for all manufacturers in New York. The rate must be less than the national average and ideally, locked at three (3) cents per KWH.

By making inexpensive power available to all manufacturers, including commercial farms, manufacturers will be able, without government assistance to expand and create jobs throughout New York.

There are in New York several authorities who function without the oversight of the State Legislature or the Governor. These agencies have the ability to spend money and incur debt in the name of the residence of New York without their approval and without accountability. Some estimates have placed the current debt created by these agencies at over $100 billion dollars most if not all without the approval of the tax paying citizens of New York.

Therefore, when elected, I will introduce legislation to eliminate all State Public Authorities and transfer their responsibilities to a single administrative agency which shall remain responsible ultimately to the taxpayers.

Tolls on roads and bridges interfere with the normal flow of traffic and ultimately represent an unnecessary expense for residence and business alike. Eliminating the tolls would make New York a more affordable place in which to live and do business. Therefore, I will propose that the State remove all tolls on all roads and bridges throughout New York.

Illegal immigration has become something of a major issue in recent years. Estimates have placed the number of illegal immigrants in the United States at over 21 million. Each illegal immigrant represents a cost to every tax paying citizen of New York.

A recent study suggests that New York spends $5.1 billion dollars annually providing benefits to illegal immigrants. Put into perspective this $5.1 billion dollars is five (5) times what the governor has proposed to allocate for "Upstate Economic Development".

Therefore, when elected, I will propose legislation which prohibits the state from spending taxpayer monies in support of illegal immigrants and will additionally require all agencies of government state and federal to enforce the immigration laws of the United States.

Legal immigration to the United States has long been the dream of many around the world. The promise of an opportunity to pursue ones dreams here in our great country is what prompted my own grandparents to come to this country. Our nation and our state have been greatly blessed by immigrants from every country on this planet.

In the past, immigrants understood that in order to function in the United States one would have to first learn the language. It was clearly understood that transactions with the State would be in English and that each immigrant was responsible to learn how to speak English.

However, over the past several years the State has attempted to accommodate immigrants who refuse to learn English by making forms and personnel available in any number of languages. This practice is detrimental to our society and represents an unnecessary expense for the taxpayers of New York.

Therefore, when elected, I will propose legislation that will make English the official language of New York. Such legislation will require that all state forms be in English only, that all publicly funded schools provide curriculum in English only, except language studies, and that all state agency correspondence be in English only.