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Hochul announces support of budget compromise that cuts up to $40 billion

By Howard B. Owens

Press Release:

ERIE COUNTY – Kathy Hochul, candidate for New York’s 26th Congressional District, today declared her support for a budget compromise in Congress that would cut $30 to $40 billion in spending and called on her opponents Republican Jane Corwin, and Tea Party Line candidate Jack Davis, to join her in supporting the compromise. 
 
“There is no question that major budgetary cuts need to be made in Washington, and that is why I support a compromise that reduces spending by $30 to $40 billion. The House and Senate are in the middle of a dangerous standoff, and the only way to avoid a massive government shutdown that could disrupt essential services, like veterans’ benefits, new Social Security claims, student loans, and critical job-training services is by coming to a compromise on the budget,” said Hochul.
 
“If Washington politicians continue to engage in this brinkmanship, it will be the promises to our veterans, our seniors, our students, and our hard working families that are broken. Therefore it is time for the House and Senate to make the necessary cuts, without butchering vital programs, and agree to a $30 to $40 billion cut in the budget. I urge my opponents – Jane Corwin, the Republican nominee, and Jack Davis, the Tea Party Line candidate – to follow my lead and support this necessary compromise.
 
“The long-term financial health of our country depends upon getting our fiscal house in order, but some of the $61 billion in cuts approved by the House erode our ability to create jobs and compete in the global economy. Across the board cuts in job re-training, high-tech research, medical research and education will make it more difficult for American families to hold onto their jobs and keep our economy moving forward,” Hochul concluded.

Philip Green

She supports the compromise. That is fine. Personally, I do not support the compromise, I support the cutting of the out of control spending which is trying to be curtailed. My understanding, is that the compromise is an effort NOT to cut. I wonder if the other candidates will come forward and support the whole cuts.

Apr 5, 2011, 3:20pm Permalink
Bea McManis

Mr. Tapp, you seem to know a lot about Kathy Hochul. I take it you have met her, talked to her, and from your meetings and conversations can make your determinations.
Please tell us more about her. How did you meet her? How often have you talked to her? What has she said to you for you to label her a liar?

Apr 5, 2011, 3:47pm Permalink
Lorie Longhany

This country was founded on compromise -- one side has a position, the other side has a position -- and everyone meets in the middle. I think that most moderate people don't want extreme's from either side.

How about the corporations like GE and big oil pay their fair share? They not only don't pay they receive subsidies while sitting on billions of dollars worth of profits. http://www.forbes.com/2010/04/01/ge-exxon-walmart-business-washington-c…

I'm proud of Kathy. She is engaging in the issues on a daily basis. She's out in every corner of the district talking to people and engaging unlike the rest of the field. She's been a fighter in Erie County and she'll be a fighter in Washington.

Apr 5, 2011, 4:01pm Permalink
bud prevost

Lorie said "She's been a fighter in Erie County and she'll be a fighter in Washington. "

No she won't. Her chance flew out the window when Bellavia missed the deadline. HE could have taken votes from Corwin, and that would've helped Hochul. I also don't believe she wants to cut spending, at least not to the lengths that Rep. Ryan does.

http://www.roadmap.republicans.budget.house.gov/

Apr 5, 2011, 4:18pm Permalink
Lorie Longhany

And give credit to Corwin's camp. Besides all the intimidation, a Corfu resident who hasn't voted in years submits the petition challenge. Give me a break. David Bellavia, a decorated war hero, was treated like absolute pond scum by this camp. And he was the only true Conservative in the race.

Bud, you're right, Kathy is an underdog. But, she wins in the whole of Erie County, that includes the little towns that have registrations just like here. Her margins aren't close -- she blew out her last opponent by 80%. I challenge you to meet her and give a little listen. There's a reason why she has cross party and independent appeal.

Corwin is exactly what we had with Chris Lee. Privileged, country club candidate hailing from the exact same neighborhood. The only thing that sets her apart from the last guy is she isn't trolling Craigslist for transsexuals.

Apr 5, 2011, 4:59pm Permalink
Mark Potwora

Funny how last year and the year before when the Democrats were in charge of it all there was no talk of cutting any thing...It was spend and keep on spending..Now with Republicans in charge of the house Democrats claim they want to cut the budget by 30 billion..They couldn't pass a budget last year thats why they are in the bind that they are in.Its for that reason alone i don't believe Kathy Hochul..If the Democrats were still in charge and wanted to increase spending by 30 billion she would be for it..I would still like to hear were all these bodies are buried she talked about the other day..I emailed her and still haven't gotten a reply about this..

Apr 5, 2011, 5:52pm Permalink
John Roach

Like it or not, Mark is right. The fully controlled Democratic Congress failed in its responsibility to pass a budget by October 1, 2010, half a year ago.

Now the Democrats complain about the cuts being pushed by the Republicans,for last years budget, but they could have passed their own if they had wanted to. Maybe Bea or Lorie can explain that failure? Why are we still trying to pass last years budget?

As a side note, did you think any candidate was not going to support "cuts", really?

Apr 5, 2011, 6:45pm Permalink
kevin kretschmer

I'm pretty tired of the class envy argument, wherever it's used. If you (generically) don't think it's fair another person (or group) is making more than you, better your situation.

I read the article referenced and from that article - "Would no more tax holiday for GE really end up helping Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer? Doubtful. "The average Joe should be in favor of lower corporate taxes," says Hodge, "because ultimately they are paying the corporate income tax. Either as workers, getting lower wages and fewer jobs, or as consumers, paying higher prices, or as retirees, getting lower dividends and earnings on their investments."

I've never been to Spalding Lake but apparently it's "bad" to live there. I have however driven through Hamburg several times and it seems like a fairly nice community. Since Kathy Hochul is the Erie County Clerk and her husband is a US Attorney I'd be willing to bet they don't live in a double-wide mobile home, drive 15 year-old cars, or shop at Aldi's. They likely travel in the same social circles as the Corwins, attend the same charity functions, sit on the same boards, etc.

In regard to her accomplishments; every County Clerk spoke out against mandatory new license plates and most of her improvements at the DMV Office were put into place in Monroe County by Maggie Brooks 10 years prior. What she did was certainly laudable but it's not like she was out there blazing trails no one else dared to take.

"I know where the bodies are buried" has a very specific meaning. It is an implied threat. She either used a very poor choice of words or made a Freudian Slip.

Lastly, for all of her rhetoric about what she'll do if elected the fact is if that happens she will be the least senior member of the minority party in the House. Additionally, NY-26 is one of the most likely to be eliminated during the upcoming re-districting. I can't imagine Brian Higgins or Louise Slaughter are going anywhere anytime soon, unless of course they were the ones burying bodies.

Apr 5, 2011, 6:51pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

Kevin, please tell me how GE not paying corporate taxes has helped US workers?

Please explain that in context of GE cutting its domestic job force by 22,000 workers in the past six years while outsourcing 160,000 jobs to other countries?

Which American workers are all of those unpaid taxes benefiting?

Apr 5, 2011, 7:07pm Permalink
Lorie Longhany

Mark, it's a divided country. What's wrong with a budget compromise? Why are the goal posts continually being moved? 73 billion is now not enough. Maybe because there is no appeasing the extreme wing of the Republican Party. There's no room for compromise when the Tea Party faction threatens "cut it or shut it". Boehner knows that political retribution will fall on any republican that dares to compromise.

Next year it's medicare on the chopping block. This is an aging district. Old people get sick. What's next after the safety net for seniors is gutted? I say go for it and see how that plays out here in WNY. I work with senior's on fixed incomes everyday in this community and I don't think that move will play well.

John and Mark never say a word about corporate greed. Maybe if the multinationals paid their fair share there wouldn't be the need for cuts to head start, NPR and the arts. Do both of you know that art dollars actually multiply in a local community? I would also rather see archaic draconian defense projects cut, but those aren't considered, are they? How about having the oil companies pay taxes instead of getting tax subsidies?

We're a divided country, folks. The polls show that both sides will get about equal blame for a shut down, so why not just compromise?

Apr 5, 2011, 7:08pm Permalink
John Hilchey

You're right Lorie we are a divided country. Divided between the working people and non-working people. It was pretty sad to see in THE DAILY NEWS on 4/4/11,the remarks that Mr. Malark made when Kathy Hochul made her visit to Orleans County. "Despite Orleans County's 10.7 percent unemployment rate in February, Malark said he can't find enough hard-working employees. He reiterated long-held business owner gripes about the state's costly regulations and tax environment.
But Malark, 39 said businesses need more people willing to work hard. He isn't impressed with the work ethic of the new crop of younger adults hitting the workforce. Fostering a better work ethic needs to be part of the conversation when politicians look for ways to help businesses." I didn't see where Kathy addressed his remarks, but I'm not sure any politician would have an answer for that.

Apr 5, 2011, 8:20pm Permalink
Janice Stenman

The proposed cuts by BOTH parties are nickels and dimes. Why do they resist looking at the military budget?? Right now, it approaches $700 BILLION per year. That does not include the approximately 33,000 wounded vets. By some estimates their care [which I do not begrudge at all] will soon exceed the military budget.

What about closing some foreign bases, pulling out of Iraq and Afghanistan completely? Am I just being naive?

Apr 5, 2011, 10:00pm Permalink
kevin kretschmer

This issue has been brought up repeatedly by employers and colleges within the past 5+ years. Until the self-esteem movement is no longer part of the public education curriculum it won't get any better.

"America - we're no longer the smartest or hardest working people in the world but we sure do feel better about ourselves more than anyone else!"

Apr 5, 2011, 10:00pm Permalink
Lorie Longhany

I totally agree John. People do need to have a strong work ethic and a desire to give 100%. And you and I both are proof that it probably isn't a political ideology, because I know that both of us work very hard.

I think that gets instilled from good parental examples -- which I was lucky to have. I don't know what the solution to a strong work ethic is with some in our society, but I caught that in the article, too. Of course it shouldn't be broad brushed either -- I'm sure that there are plenty of people that do work very hard.

My brother worked his way through college pounding pallets from a contract that my grandfather won in the late 50's from Genesee Brewery. I remember the day I had to take him to Strong after he cut the tip of his finger off ripping 2 by 4's.

Knowing Kathy and her husband, hard work is something that they both embrace.

Apr 5, 2011, 10:14pm Permalink
Mark Potwora

Janice you are right this is all about nickels and dimes..40 billion in a 3.5 trillion budget is peanuts..Lorie i know we are a divided country,But one thing we all want is an honest leadership..To be one thing one day and something the next shows that all you are about is the job and not representing those who are electing you..To me i really believe that Ms.Hochul is more about the prestige of the job then representing the common man..And i think the same goes for Corwin..The one i though who was more representive of myself and what i think goverenment should be was David Bellavia.For whatever reason he was keep off the ballot..That is wrong..If Hochul or Corwin had any class they would push to get him on the ballot and show that they are truely about representive government.And not about whats in it for me ..

Lorie you also said John and Mark never say a word about corporate greed..Your wrong i have been outspoke on the GCEDC ..TO me that is corporate greed ..TO get a property tax break well the rest of us have to pay for property tax increases is wrong..For GE to get a 2 billion tax refund from the government was wrong..Wasn't Jeff Immelt picked by Obama to his economic advisory board..All these ETHANOL subsides need to stop..Democrats and Republicans are both to blame..The reason GE got all that money back was because of all this green energy BS that Obama is pushing...That why i like Paul Ryan budget plan ..He wants to get rid of all these write offs and credits and subsides and lower the corprate tax rates ..

Apr 5, 2011, 10:39pm Permalink
Lorie Longhany

Mark, because I have watched how Kathy Hochul approaches her commitment to public service over the past few years, I respectfully disagree with your assessment of her.

After watching what happened to David Bellavia, I am in total agreement with you on that count.

I worked closely with Jon Powers when he was running for this seat in '08 and I'll never forget the kind words and respect he always showed whenever David Bellavia's name came up. I actually think they were friendly acquaintances.

While I might not agree with him on most issues, I think he is a very principled individual who should have been treated better. I'm actually very surprised that the Conservative Party dissed him, what with Corwin's public pro choice stance. I always thought that issue was the Conservative Parties number one social issue.

Apr 5, 2011, 10:43pm Permalink
Lorie Longhany

Mark, Sorry I missed your last paragraph. I retract my statement on lumping you with the "corporate greed" statement. That wasn't fair, because you're right, you've been very vocal about the local issue of corporate welfare.

As far as Obama appointing Jeff Immelt. I don't like it, I've never liked it. I didn't like his appointment of Larry Summers and Timothy Geithner either. There is too much corporate money on this economic team. To me this is like letting the fox guard the hen house.

Apr 5, 2011, 10:52pm Permalink
John Roach

Lorie,
You and others still seem to think the Conservative Party is a single issue party. Corwin was selected because overall, her actual voting record in the State Assembly, was closer to the majority of party issues than the other candidates.

While I was not there, I believe they also looked at who actually had a chance of winning, as your party did with Hochul. The Democrats had other good candidates, but none had the chance that Hochul has.

Apr 6, 2011, 7:40am Permalink

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