League of Women Voters of New York State Education Foundation, Inc.
	New York State Government November 2, 2010 Election
	Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues Comptroller; State of New York

The questions were prepared by the Leagues of Women Voters of New York State and asked of all candidates for this office.     See below for questions on Qualifications, Priorities, Proposed Solutions Click on a name for candidate information.   See also more information about this contest. 1. What qualifies you for the office? Answer from Harry J. Wilson: I am a businessman, not a politician, with deep financial experience restructuring broken companies, most notably leading the restructuring of General Motors. I will use that experience to attack Albany's fiscal mismanagement, professionalize the pension fund and work to roll back excess government spending that drives our sky-high property taxes. Answer from Thomas P. DiNapoli: I've identified more than $2 billion in waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer money through audits. I've restored ethics to the Comptroller's Office and the pension fund is recognized as the `nationwide pension leader'. I've been a voice of fiscal sanity in Albany by addressing New York's dire financial condition. Answer from Julia A. Willebrand: I am a peace and justice activist teacher dedicated to constructive change. Establishing a socially responsible investment policy that ends the casino culture infecting the comptroller's office is my highest priority. Pension dollars can both provide a good return and create good jobs and great neighborhoods in NY. Answer from John A. Gaetani: I have 25 years of state government accounting and auditing work experience and a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. 2. What do you see as the greatest challenges and highest priorities? Answer from Julia A. Willebrand: Establishing a socially responsible investment policy that ends the casino culture infecting the comptroller's office is my highest priority. Answer from Harry J. Wilson: New York is in the early stages of a massive fiscal crisis, driven by excessive spending and resulting in the nation's highest state and local tax burden. We need a Comptroller with the expertise and independence to completely overhaul State government to reduce spending and taxes and enable private-sector growth. Answer from John A. Gaetani: The greatest challenges are to get government spending reduced and the proper uses of revenues. Also, getting the New York Common Retirement Fund investments to fund the Fund without major contributions from taxpayers. The highest priority to achieve spending reductions is to eliminate unnecessary jobs, programs, functions, and agencies. Answer from Thomas P. DiNapoli: The greatest challenge facing taxpayers is our state's weak economy. The priorities must be an affordable, balanced state budget, an end to government waste, job creation, retirement security and local government cost savings for homeowners. Government must understand that it's the taxpayer's money, and it's our job to protect it. 3. What are your solutions? Answer from Julia A. Willebrand: Pension dollars can both provide a good return and create good jobs and great neighborhoods in NY. Answer from Harry J. Wilson: I will conduct a forensic audit of every dollar of state spending to hold Albany accountable for our tax dollars. Once we make government smaller and more efficient, the lower tax burden will allow our natural assets to flourish, with greater private sector growth, job creation and opportunity. Answer from Thomas P. DiNapoli: Pass reforms that force lawmakers to stop relying on fiscal gimmicks and borrowing to balance out budgets so that we spend only what taxpayers can afford. Continue to effectively manage the pension fund. Maintain the focus of our audits on accountability and solutions that save taxpayers money. Answer from John A. Gaetani: My solutions can be defined as one word + ANSWER. Accountability Non-partisan Spending cuts Watchdog Economy and efficiency in government, and Revenue utilization as legally intended. Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' responses are not edited or corrected by the League. The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.