Buffalo News - Faso, Suozzi Chastise Spitzer As Debate 'No-Show'
Buffalo News - Faso, Suozzi Chastise Spitzer As Debate 'No-Show'
To some listeners Monday evening at the University at Buffalo, Eliot Spitzer's two opponents for governor sounded like they were running on the same ticket.
Both Spitzer's Republican opponent, John J. Faso, and his opponent in the Sept. 13 Democratic primary, Thomas R. Suozzi, chastised the state attorney general for not taking part in the debate, sponsored by WKBW-TV in UB's Center for the Arts.
Suozzi, the Nassau County executive, and Faso, the former Assembly minority leader, also seemed to be on the same page on most of the issues. Near the end of their hour, each candidate even mentioned having an Italian-American father and an Irish-American mother.
But their ideological differences were party-line driven: Faso, running on the Conservative Party as well as the GOP line, is anti-abortion and said he wants to cut school taxes and income taxes and privatize cafeteria and other non-instructional programs in the public schools. Suozzi, the Democrat who opposes only late-term abortions, focused only on cutting property taxes.
Both favor removing the toll barriers from Western New York.
"I have a plan for paying for it," said Faso. "The state should transfer operation of the Canal Corporation back to the Department of Transportation. That would save $65 million to $70 million a year, and the DOT would contract with the Thruway Authority to maintain the highways."
Faso added that the $600 million collected in sales tax on gasoline each year shouldn't be funneled into the general fund but should be tapped for "pay as you go" road and bridge repairs.
The tolls must go, Suozzi said, adding: "I can do it because I've done it. I took the worst-run county in America and turned it around."
Asked why they are still running for governor while Spitzer enjoys a 3-to-1 lead over them in the polls, Suozzi replied: "The reason I'm losing is the same reason I'm running: The special interests and lobbyists are supporting Eliot Spitzer with all the money. His ads never tell the specifics of how he would help Western New York."
Spitzer wants to invest $4 billion to $6 billion in New York City's public schools, Suozzi said, but hasn't told how.
"I'm for investing in troubled school districts," Suozzi said.
Faso said he's in this race because it's the first time in 24 years that an incumbent isn't running for re-election as governor of New York.
A radio listener in Gowanda asked, by Internet, how the candidates would help him get health insurance while he's taking home only $228 a week in a minimum-wage job.
"We need wholesale reform in our health-care system," Faso replied. "New York State spends $45 billion more for Medicaid than both Texas and Florida combined, even though those states are twice as big in size." He suggested legislation to promote "health savings accounts" and "alternatives to nursing home care."
"That person is suffering," said Suozzi. "But we don't have any more money for more programs. New York has a $13 billion budget, 47 percent of which goes to Medicaid for low- and moderate-income people. We must root out waste and fraud from the program."
http://tomsuozzi.com/news/bn_082906/