July 21, 2008

'Three men in a room' is no way to cut taxes or govern, Tonello says

The governor and legislative leaders' latest meeting behind closed doors to strike a deal on a property tax cap is a disgraceful display of what passes for "normal" in Albany -- no transparency, no public dialogue, and no comprehensive solutions, said John Tonello, candidate for the 53rd State Senate seat.

"How long do average New Yorkers have to suffer under this tired, dysfunctional form of government?" Tonello said. "The 'three-men-in-a-room' approach underscores the pressing need for the changes I've called for: democratic reform, public involvement, and solutions that have meaning past election day."

Tonello, the mayor of Elmira, is committed to bipartisan reform that will end the decades of failed state government that has driven half a million manufacturing jobs out of New York in the past 15 years, given residents the highest taxes in the nation, pushed New York education toward the bottom, and rewarded cronyism and special interests.

"Career politicians like Joe Bruno, Dean Skelos and George Winner all have embraced this partisan approach in their decades in Albany, taking not a single step toward reform," Tonello said. "They personally benefit from this system and the status quo. Their constituents don't."

Tonello said a new Democratic majority in the Senate will pass reform in its first 30 days, sharing power, resources, and ideas across party lines.

"Until the current power structure is changed, meaningful tax relief, job creation, health care reform, and other pressing issues for citizens will continue to elude New York," he said.

Legislators and the governor must take a comprehensive approach to school funding that reforms the property tax system, maintains funding for classrooms, and helps improve graduation rates, Tonello said. "Three men can't solve these problems alone," he added. "Collectively, we can."

Gov. Patterson, Senate Majority Leader Skelos, and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, are weighing the impact of a tax cap on classroom funding and mandate relief -- suggestions based on the Suozzi Commission -- but their secretive process is doing more harm than good because it will fail to deliver long-term solutions, Tonello said.

"The Suozzi Commission report provides the framework for discussion on comprehensive solutions for tax relief, and the people of New York deserve to be part of that discussion," Tonello said. "Instead, we're shut out. I want to change that."