Carl Paladino
Encyclopedia
Carl Pasquale Paladino (born August 24, 1946) is an American
businessman and political activist from Buffalo, New York
. Paladino is the founder and chairman of Ellicott Development Company, a real estate development
company he founded in 1973. He was the 2010 Republican
nominee for the New York gubernatorial election
, but he was defeated by Democrat
Andrew Cuomo
. His candidacy was supported by the Tea Party movement
. Paladino's campaign platform emphasized fiscal reform and improvement of the state's educational system.
to the United States. His father participated in the Civilian Conservation Corps
in the 1930s. Paladino was raised in the Lovejoy District
of Buffalo and attended Bishop Timon – St. Jude High School in South Buffalo. Paladino attended St. Bonaventure University
and the Syracuse University College of Law
. He received his Juris Doctor degree in 1971. He spent three months on active duty in the United States Army
and approximately ten years in the reserve, separating in 1981 at the rank of Captain. Paladino founded Ellicott Development in 1973; the company buys properties, builds stores, and leases them to national retail outlets (most notably Rite-Aid) and government agencies. The company has operations in Western New York
, Central New York
and portions of Pennsylvania.
In addition to his business developments, Paladino also is a senior managing partner in the law firm of Paladino, Cavan and Quinlivin, a firm that specializes in corporate and real estate law.
in 1974 and remained there until 2005. Later that year, after the retirement of Buffalo mayor Anthony Masiello
, Paladino changed to the Republican Party
, which is his current affiliation. Paladino and several limited partnership
s controlled by him have donated to numerous political candidates and organizations, both Democratic and Republican. During his time as a Democrat, he generally considered himself a conservative Reagan Democrat
in the mold of former Buffalo mayor James D. Griffin and former New York governor Hugh Carey
; Paladino's campaign site features a 1980s picture of himself alongside former President Ronald Reagan
.
Paladino helped lead a campaign to remove the toll barriers on Interstate 190
in the mid-2000s. After finding a state law that required the state to remove the tolls once the bonds for that portion of the thruway had been paid off (which took place in 1996), Paladino threatened to sue, and the Thruway Authority removed the tolls.
In 2009, Paladino involved himself on behalf of South Buffalo councilman Michael Kearns in Buffalo's Democratic primary mayoral election
, campaigning against incumbent Byron Brown
.
In October 2011, Paladino filed a lawsuit against National Grid
and Verizon (the primary electric and telephone utilities in Western New York, respectively) for what Paladino alleged were exorbitant fees the two companies charged for services, alleging that the New York State Public Service Commission failed to prevent "collusion, overbilling, mis-billing and fraud."
. Tom Ognibene
, the former minority leader of the New York City Council, was his chosen running mate. Michael Caputo was Paladino's manager for the campaign. John Haggerty, who is currently under investigation for funneling money between Michael Bloomberg
and the Independence Party of New York
, is in charge of circulating petitions. Roger Stone
has acted as a supporter and advisor for the campaign and has stated that despite his earlier agreement to work as the campaign manager for another candidate, Kristin Davis, that Davis is a protest candidate and Paladino is the one Stone wants to win; Stone recommended Caputo, a former employee of his, to the Paladino campaign. Tom Golisano
, an American businessman and philanthropist who ran three gubernatorial campaigns on third-party lines, is also advising the campaign.
Paladino vied with Rick Lazio
, Steve Levy
, and Myers Mermel for the Republican nomination. At the state Republican convention, Paladino received 8 percent of the weighted vote; only delegates from Erie and Orleans counties voted for him. He fell short of the 25 percent needed for automatic ballot access. Paladino had 3,000 volunteers circulating petitions in an effort to force a primary election. With a legal minimum requirement of 15,000 signatures to force a primary, he aimed for 40,000 signatures and submitted 28,000, enough of which were valid.
In the primary election on September 14, 2010. Paladino, with heavy support in his native Western New York, defeated Lazio. In the primary for Lieutenant Governor, however, Ognibene, who had been selected by Paladino, lost to Lazio's choice, Greg Edwards
. The Paladino-Edwards ticket competed in November against Democrat Andrew Cuomo
and his running mate, Robert Duffy, as well as several minor-party candidates.
Paladino originally planned on seeking the nomination of the Conservative Party of New York
but dropped out of that nomination battle because party chairman Michael Long allowed him only two minutes of speech time to make his case. As a result, he skipped the party convention and was unable to garner enough support to get the Conservative Party's nomination, with that going to Rick Lazio, Republican known for his support of abortion rights
, and gun control. In Paladino's place on the primary ballot was Ralph Lorigo, the chairman of the Erie County Conservative Party and a supporter of Paladino's campaign. Lorigo, being a party member, only needed 25% of the weighted vote at the party's convention on May 28, 2010 to get on the primary ballot instead of the majority required by non-party members. Lorigo joined forces with Steve Levy's supporters to get 42% of the weighted vote. Lorigo and Lazio faced off in the September primary. If Lorigo had won the primary, he could have moved out of state or accepted a nomination for State Supreme Court, clearing the line and allowing the Conservative Party to pick someone else through a committee. Family members of Paladino's campaign ran Lorigo's campaign, including Paladino's brother, Joseph Paladino, and Caputo's father, Raymond Caputo. Lazio defeated Lorigo in the Conservative primary by a 60-40 margin, only to drop out two weeks later. Long later indicated he would endorse Paladino and encourage his allies to nominate him as Lazio's replacement.
Paladino held a two-week boat tour at the end of May 2010 along the Erie Canal to acquaint himself with the rest of upstate New York. He began a television and radio advertising campaign in July of that year, including local TV stations as well as national ads on the Fox News Channel
. He has frequently called for debates, first with Lazio (who declined) and now with Cuomo; Paladino has stated that he encourages minor-party candidates to be included in debates, echoing a call from Howie Hawkins
and Warren Redlich
, two of the minor-party candidates in the race, to be included in debates. All seven candidates were scheduled to debate on October 18. Paladino had indicated a willingness to spend more than $10,000,000 of his own personal wealth on his campaign, with much of that spending being recycled to Ellicott Development.
and Gary Berntsen
for Senate candidates (both dropped out of their races, leading the party to nominate Joseph J. DioGuardi
as Malpass's replacement), Rus Thompson for comptroller, and will not field an attorney general candidate. The goal of the line is to give potential Republican candidates who were not selected by the Conservative Party an additional ballot line; as such, the organization is not backing an attorney general candidate and is only running a token comptroller (Thompson's own Web site does not even mention his candidacy), because Republican nominees Daniel M. Donovan, Jr.
and Harry Wilson
already have Conservative Party endorsements and the party does not seek to divide the Republican and conservative vote. Paladino's campaign submitted 30,000 signatures for the Taxpayers line on August 10, 2010. The line has drawn interest from other potential candidates for state office, and several state legislature candidates have filed petitions under the "Taxpayers" banner.
but only a few counties outside of that region, all of which were rural counties in upstate New York. Paladino helped propel the Conservative Party into third place on the ballot for the first time since losing the line in 1998, retaking the ballot line from the Independence Party of New York
by drawing more votes on the Conservative line than Andrew Cuomo
did on the Independence line. The Taxpayers line failed to achieve 50,000 votes, in part due to poor ballot location (the line was last on the ballot and on most ballots was placed in a second column). Paladino's strong showing also propelled Erie County into first place in the New York Republican Party's vote weighting; its votes will count 11.53% in state party votes, up from the previous 6.98%. After the election, Paladino indicated that it would be the last one in which he would be a candidate. Paladino, who lives in the 27th congressional district, was considering a run in the New York's 26th congressional district special election, 2011
, but later ruled out a run for that seat, endorsing eventual Republican nominee Jane Corwin
, who lost to Kathleen Hochul.
Paladino planned to use interpretations of the Constitution of the State of New York to declare a fiscal state of emergency
, which he would then use to freeze compensation of state, municipal and school employees and cut the state budget by 10 to 20 percent. He proposed closing off welfare services to those who come from out of state to receive benefits, by placing a minimum residency requirement of one year before anyone could claim state benefits. He sought to cut the state's Medicaid
budget by nearly 30%, or $20 billion ($10 billion from the state's share, the other $10 billion coming from the county and federal shares) by making significant cuts to benefits, reducing reimbursement rates, requiring identification, fingerprints and drug testing in order to receive benefits, and training family members to take care of people who would otherwise be in long-term care. He planned to eliminate state capital gains taxes and corporate franchise taxes, at a cost of approximately $1 billion.
In the past, Paladino has called for a constitutional convention to make changes in the state constitution, which, he argued, creates a welfare state
and contributes to many of the state's problems. He has proposed increasing the frequency of constitutional convention referendums, currently set for every 20 years with the next one scheduled for 2017, down to 10 years, with the next one moved up to 2011. He has also expressed distaste for public service labor unions, which he has compared to pigs, and is an outspoken critic of state laws such as the Wicks Law, which sets prevailing wage
requirements, and the Taylor Law
, which gives unions significant negotiating advantages in exchange for prohibiting them from striking. He promised to take a hard line in negotiations with unions, whose contracts expire in April 2011, and would have refused to grant them favorable conditions. Non-union employees would have seen immediate pay cuts of 10 percent. He supported current governor David Paterson
's efforts to furlough state employees. In the event of a late budget, he would have shut down most levels of government except those related to public health and safety. Paladino would have first targeted what he considered to be patronage jobs for elimination; i.e., those who, according to him, received their jobs as political favors and through family connections. Deputy commissioners would be another target for elimination. He would also have relied on the state's rank and file to target persons "incapable for whatever reason of performing their functions at a cost productive level," and hoped to eliminate 60,000 jobs from the state workforce through these reductions. He would have sought to eliminate numerous perks such as state-owned take-home vehicles. He sought to institute a merit-based pay system and end automatic raises. Paladino favored what he called "school choice," saying it would "put some competition in the marketplace" against the New York State United Teachers
. Paladino also supported converting some minimum security prisons into Civilian Conservation Corps
-style job camps for unemployed youth, which he dubbed the "Dignity Corps," a program he based on both the CCC and the work of a local mission in Buffalo.
He supported proposals to enforce excise tax laws on Indian tribes such as the Iroquois
who have so far refused to pay said taxes and promised severe punishment if the tribes protested, stating: "The fact that the past three governors have neglected to go up and enforce the law because they're afraid of somebody standing on top of a police car or they're afraid of somebody burning some tires in the street, that's not me. Let one of them stand on top of a police car in my administration, it would be the last time they stood on top of a police car." He believes the tribes are run by a cabal of "fifteen to twenty thugs" who are using their price advantage to benefit themselves and not the general populace of their reservations. He supports the review and potential revocation of land claims given to the Iroquois; in particular, he believes the Turning Stone Resort & Casino is operating illegally and should be shut down. Ellicott Development had sold the land where the current Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino stands for between US$1,300,000 and US$3,750,000, and Paladino claims he only received $47,000 from the Seneca nation
for the land and that the plans for the casino were far different than the ones that were proposed at the time, incorporating hotels and restaurants that Paladino opposes.
Paladino supports hard term limits of eight years on all elected officials within the state's jurisdiction, including county and local governments. He also desires to see their positions declared "part time" and as such ineligible for a state pension or lifetime medical coverage; in addition, he opposes automatic cost of living adjustment increases and seeks to force legislators to take an up or down vote on their own pay raises. He would seek a complete reorganization of the state education department and encourages dissolution of the Board of Regents, the SUNY Board of Trustees, the Lower Manhattan Development Agency, the Empire State Development Corporation
, Metropolitan Transportation Authority
, the Off-Track Betting Corporation, the Adirondack Park Agency
, and the New York Power Authority
. Similarly, the state Department of Transportation would, under Paladino's proposal, absorb the currently independent Thruway Authority
and the Bridge and Tunnel Authorities. Paladino has proposed the use of repeatedly calling special sessions to pressure uncooperative legislators into passing his legislation, much as current governor Paterson did during the 2009 New York State Senate leadership crisis
and the 2010 budget negotiations. He supports moving the due date of the state budget, currently set for April 1, back to July 1 so that tax revenue can be better evaluated. He also proposes supermajority approval of any tax increase. At the local government level, he would consolidate the operations of most school district
s at the county level
, with a single appointed superintendent, and also consolidate other local town and village operations at that level. He is currently considering a solution for districts that span multiple counties. He does not support a reduction in operational aid for school districts and believes the budget can be balanced without reducing that aid. In response to criticisms regarding Paladino's existing leases to the state, he has stated that he is willing to renegotiate the prices he charges for the leases once they expire, and he would put most of his assets in trust, turning over operations of the company to his son. (Ellicott Development's leases currently charge a "below average" rate as it is, according to the state.) He is willing to support a hard property tax cap, such as the one Cuomo proposes, if it is part of a broader effort to cut spending. Some of these proposals would require amendments to the state constitution.
Paladino, who has a handgun permit and "carries wherever it is legal," is strongly in favor of firearm ownership and Second Amendment rights; he seeks to repeal the NYS Assault Weapon Ban.
He personally opposes same-sex marriage
. He has spoken negatively of the concept of gay pride
, particularly the sexual demonstrations at gay pride parades, which he believes are unsuitable for children. In a speech to a group of Hasidic Jews organized by Yehuda Levin
on 10 October 2010, Paladino said, “I just think my children and your children would be much better off and much more successful getting married and raising a family, and I don’t want them brainwashed into thinking that homosexuality is an equally valid and successful option — it isn’t.” He later stated that he did not agree with the statement and had not fully proofread the speech before he read it. He has said he would take a more libertarian stance on the matter in regard to state policy; he follows a "live and let live" approach to the topic of homosexuality, actively opposes discrimination against homosexuals, and encourages a statewide referendum on allowing same-sex marriage in the state, saying that he would honor the result of said referendum. If the state legislature were to pass a bill legalizing same-sex marriage or civil unions without a referendum, he would veto it.
He is pro-life
and favors adoption over abortion
even in cases of rape
or incest
. Abortion would not be a legislative priority if he were to be elected, but he would continue to personally advocate against abortion.
He is firmly in favor of drilling in the Marcellus Formation
.
He opposes the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
of 2010, and says that he believes that the long-term impact of the act would be just as memorable and possibly more deadly than the September 11 attacks. If elected, he would file a lawsuit to have the law overturned.
Paladino does not object to raising the minimum wage
. He does object to excessive regulations on businesses. One regulation he does support is the elimination of food truck
s in the city of Buffalo, in part because they do not have the requirement of paying property tax
es as brick-and-mortar businesses must, giving the mobile vendors an advantage that Paladino believes is unfair.
Paladino has pledged himself to one term in office and, like fellow businessmen-turned-politicians Chris Collins and Michael Bloomberg
, would forgo collecting his salary if elected. He would then endorse his lieutenant governor for the 2014 gubernatorial election.
With regard to a planned Islamic community center two blocks from the site of the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York City, in late July, 2010, Paladino issued a radio ad which stated, "As Governor, I will use the power of eminent domain
to stop this mosque and make the site a war memorial instead of a monument to those who attacked our country." He added that the mosque should not be built within a range of "the dust cloud containing human remains [of the 9/11 victims] traveled".
addresses included with the package of e-mails. Paladino acknowledged that some of the e-mails were authentic, but denied that he originated any of them, saying that he was nevertheless "somewhat careless" about forwarding them to others Paladino admitted many of these emails were "off-color
" and could be considered offensive, took responsibility for them, and apologized.
In a statement to The Politico
on September 29, 2010, Paladino asked why the media was concerned with any of his extramarital affairs, and not asking similar questions of Andrew Cuomo. New York Post
columnist Fredric U. Dicker
confronted Paladino at a meeting of the New York State Business Council later that evening and insisted that Paladino produce evidence about any accusations against Cuomo, but Paladino alleged the Post had followed and photographed Paladino's daughter several days prior to the appearance, and demanded that Dicker not do it again or he would "take him out." Paladino later said he did not know of any actual affairs, and that the implication was not intended. The New York Posts editor in chief, Col Allen, in a statement released on Politico, said the Post did not send a photographer to the house of Paladino's daughter. Two days later, Allen admitted to sending photographer Christopher Sadowski and reporter Amber Sutherland to the 10-year old's house on two occasions but said the New York Post would not print the photographs their staff snapped of the child from outside the house. After the first visit, Sutherland wrote a story featuring photographs of the young girl's mother in the New York Post. Michael Caputo claimed he spoke to Sutherland who confirmed Dicker was her "team leader" for coverage of the child. Paladino told New York Post columnist Andrea Peyser
to clear Sutherland and Sadowski away from the child's windows before resuming an interview with her in Queens, and Peyser called Fred Dicker in front of Paladino to get that done.
On October 10, Paladino was criticized for "anti-gay remarks" to Orthodox Rabbis in Brooklyn. The speech was discovered to have been prepared by Rabbi Yehuda Levin
. Paladino apologized for his comments, saying that "The portrayal of me as anti-gay is inconsistent with my lifelong beliefs and actions and my prior history as an father, employer and friend to many in the gay and lesbian community," He later said he meant what he had said, but regretted not wording it differently. In response to this apology, Rabbi Levin rescinded his endorsement of Paladino.
In response to the controversies, Paladino took responsibility for them, saying "This the first time I have ever run for public office and yes, I let things get out of hand. It’s my responsibility. Nobody else’s. I have also learned what monsters the press can be."
, and is married to Mary Catherine Hannon. They had three children: William Paladino, Danielle Jacobs, and Patrick Paladino ( who died March 30, 2009, from injuries received in an automobile accident). Paladino also has a ten-year-old daughter from an extramarital relationship
with his former employee, Suzanne Brady. He has five grandchildren. He owns a pit bull named Duke, which he has taken with him on his campaign stops.
Paladino was honored in 1991 by the City of Buffalo
as Buffalonian of the Year and in 1993 as Alumnus of the Year by St. Bonaventure University
.
During his concession speech, Paladino gave a heartfelt address to his late son, Patrick. Nancy Naples
, chairwoman of the Paladino campaign told the New York Times that Paladino gained a feeling of emotional closure
through his gubernatorial campaign. After his vote on election day, he gathered with relatives for a prayer service dedicated to his son. Paladino had stated that running for governor was something his son wanted him to do.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
businessman and political activist from Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. Paladino is the founder and chairman of Ellicott Development Company, a real estate development
Real estate development
Real estate development, or Property Development, is a multifaceted business, encompassing activities that range from the renovation and re-lease of existing buildings to the purchase of raw land and the sale of improved land or parcels to others...
company he founded in 1973. He was the 2010 Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nominee for the New York gubernatorial election
New York gubernatorial election, 2010
The New York gubernatorial election of 2010 was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010, to elect the Governor of New York, who will serve a four-year term to begin in January 2011. Incumbent Democratic Governor David Paterson, elected as Lieutenant Governor in 2006 as the running mate of former Governor...
, but he was defeated by Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Mark Cuomo is the 56th and current Governor of New York, having assumed office on January 1, 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the 64th New York State Attorney General, and was the 11th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development...
. His candidacy was supported by the Tea Party movement
Tea Party movement
The Tea Party movement is an American populist political movement that is generally recognized as conservative and libertarian, and has sponsored protests and supported political candidates since 2009...
. Paladino's campaign platform emphasized fiscal reform and improvement of the state's educational system.
Early life, education and career
Paladino's parents emigrated from ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
to the United States. His father participated in the Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
in the 1930s. Paladino was raised in the Lovejoy District
East Lovejoy, Buffalo, New York
East Lovejoy is a neighborhood in Buffalo, NY. It is located on the East Side of Buffalo, and is part of the bigger Lovejoy area. The councilman of the area is Richard Fontana.-Businesses:...
of Buffalo and attended Bishop Timon – St. Jude High School in South Buffalo. Paladino attended St. Bonaventure University
St. Bonaventure University
St. Bonaventure University is a private, Franciscan Catholic university, located in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students....
and the Syracuse University College of Law
Syracuse University College of Law
Syracuse University College of Law , founded in 1895, is a Juris Doctor degree-granting law school of Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. It is one of only four law schools in Upstate New York Syracuse University College of Law (SUCOL), founded in 1895, is a Juris Doctor degree-granting law...
. He received his Juris Doctor degree in 1971. He spent three months on active duty in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and approximately ten years in the reserve, separating in 1981 at the rank of Captain. Paladino founded Ellicott Development in 1973; the company buys properties, builds stores, and leases them to national retail outlets (most notably Rite-Aid) and government agencies. The company has operations in Western New York
Western New York
Western New York is the westernmost region of the state of New York. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands, the Genesee Valley, and the Southern Tier. Some historians, scholars and others...
, Central New York
Central New York
Central New York is a term used to broadly describe the central region of New York State, roughly including the following counties and cities:...
and portions of Pennsylvania.
In addition to his business developments, Paladino also is a senior managing partner in the law firm of Paladino, Cavan and Quinlivin, a firm that specializes in corporate and real estate law.
Political history
Paladino registered with the Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
in 1974 and remained there until 2005. Later that year, after the retirement of Buffalo mayor Anthony Masiello
Anthony Masiello
Anthony M. Masiello was mayor of Buffalo, New York from 1994 to 2005. Prior to being mayor, he served as a New York State Senator.-Personal and Educational Background:...
, Paladino changed to the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, which is his current affiliation. Paladino and several limited partnership
Limited partnership
A limited partnership is a form of partnership similar to a general partnership, except that in addition to one or more general partners , there are one or more limited partners . It is a partnership in which only one partner is required to be a general partner.The GPs are, in all major respects,...
s controlled by him have donated to numerous political candidates and organizations, both Democratic and Republican. During his time as a Democrat, he generally considered himself a conservative Reagan Democrat
Reagan Democrat
Reagan Democrat is an American political term used by analysts to denote traditionally Democratic voters, especially white working-class Northerners, who defected from their party to support Republican President Ronald Reagan in both the 1980 and 1984 elections. It is also used to refer to the...
in the mold of former Buffalo mayor James D. Griffin and former New York governor Hugh Carey
Hugh Carey
Hugh Leo Carey was an American attorney, the 51st Governor of New York from 1975 to 1982, and a seven-term United States Representative .- Early life :...
; Paladino's campaign site features a 1980s picture of himself alongside former President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
.
Paladino helped lead a campaign to remove the toll barriers on Interstate 190
Interstate 190 (New York)
Interstate 190 runs 28.34 miles from Interstate 90 near Buffalo, New York to Lewiston, New York via Niagara Falls. Parts of this highway were built on the former rights-of-way of the Lehigh Valley Railroad and the Erie Canal. It is referred to by locals as The One-Ninety...
in the mid-2000s. After finding a state law that required the state to remove the tolls once the bonds for that portion of the thruway had been paid off (which took place in 1996), Paladino threatened to sue, and the Thruway Authority removed the tolls.
In 2009, Paladino involved himself on behalf of South Buffalo councilman Michael Kearns in Buffalo's Democratic primary mayoral election
Buffalo mayoral election, 2009
The Buffalo Mayoral Election of 2009 took place on November 3, 2009.-Primary:The primary election was held on September 15, 2009. Incumbent Mayor Byron Brown defeated South District Councilmember Michael P...
, campaigning against incumbent Byron Brown
Byron Brown
Byron William Brown II is the 58th and current mayor of Buffalo, New York, elected on November 8, 2005 and is the city's first African-American mayor. He previously served Western New York as a member of the New York State Senate and Buffalo Common Council...
.
In October 2011, Paladino filed a lawsuit against National Grid
National Grid
-Electric power transmission systems:*National Grid , the electricity transmission network of Great Britain.*National Grid , the electricity transmission network of Malaysia....
and Verizon (the primary electric and telephone utilities in Western New York, respectively) for what Paladino alleged were exorbitant fees the two companies charged for services, alleging that the New York State Public Service Commission failed to prevent "collusion, overbilling, mis-billing and fraud."
Gubernatorial campaign
On April 5, 2010, Paladino officially entered the race for Governor of New YorkGovernor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
. Tom Ognibene
Tom Ognibene
-Biography:Ognibene was elected in 1992 as New York City Council member, where he served through 2001, representing the 30th District in Queens, including the neighborhoods of Middle Village, Glendale, Ridgewood, Richmond Hill, Woodhaven, and Forest Hills...
, the former minority leader of the New York City Council, was his chosen running mate. Michael Caputo was Paladino's manager for the campaign. John Haggerty, who is currently under investigation for funneling money between Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
and the Independence Party of New York
Independence Party of New York
The Independence Party is an affiliate in the U.S. state of New York of the Independence Party of America. The party was founded in 1991 by Dr. Gordon Black, Tom Golisano, and Laureen Oliver from Rochester, New York, and acquired ballot status in 1994...
, is in charge of circulating petitions. Roger Stone
Roger Stone
Roger J. Stone, Jr. is an American political consultant and lobbyist who specializes in opposition research for the Republican National Committee in the United States....
has acted as a supporter and advisor for the campaign and has stated that despite his earlier agreement to work as the campaign manager for another candidate, Kristin Davis, that Davis is a protest candidate and Paladino is the one Stone wants to win; Stone recommended Caputo, a former employee of his, to the Paladino campaign. Tom Golisano
Tom Golisano
Blase Thomas Golisano is an American businessman and philanthropist. He is the founder of Paychex, the second-largest payroll processor in the United States and former co-owner of the Buffalo Sabres hockey team and of the Buffalo Bandits lacrosse team...
, an American businessman and philanthropist who ran three gubernatorial campaigns on third-party lines, is also advising the campaign.
Paladino vied with Rick Lazio
Rick Lazio
Enrico Anthony "Rick" Lazio is a former U.S. Representative from the state of New York. Lazio became well known nationally when he ran against Hillary Rodham Clinton for the U.S. Senate in New York's 2000 Senate election...
, Steve Levy
Steve Levy (politician)
Steven A. Levy is the seventh County Executive of Suffolk County, New York, elected on November 4, 2003. Originally a fiscally conservative Democrat, Levy joned the Republican Party in an unsuccessful bid for the Republican nomination for governor....
, and Myers Mermel for the Republican nomination. At the state Republican convention, Paladino received 8 percent of the weighted vote; only delegates from Erie and Orleans counties voted for him. He fell short of the 25 percent needed for automatic ballot access. Paladino had 3,000 volunteers circulating petitions in an effort to force a primary election. With a legal minimum requirement of 15,000 signatures to force a primary, he aimed for 40,000 signatures and submitted 28,000, enough of which were valid.
In the primary election on September 14, 2010. Paladino, with heavy support in his native Western New York, defeated Lazio. In the primary for Lieutenant Governor, however, Ognibene, who had been selected by Paladino, lost to Lazio's choice, Greg Edwards
Greg Edwards
Gregory J. Edwards is the current county executive of Chautauqua County, New York. A registered Republican, Edwards served as an attorney and dairy farmer prior to his election in 2005...
. The Paladino-Edwards ticket competed in November against Democrat Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Mark Cuomo is the 56th and current Governor of New York, having assumed office on January 1, 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the 64th New York State Attorney General, and was the 11th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development...
and his running mate, Robert Duffy, as well as several minor-party candidates.
Paladino originally planned on seeking the nomination of the Conservative Party of New York
Conservative Party of New York
The Conservative Party of New York State is an American political party active in the state of New York. It is not part of any nationwide party, nor is it affiliated with the American Conservative Party, which it predates by over 40 years....
but dropped out of that nomination battle because party chairman Michael Long allowed him only two minutes of speech time to make his case. As a result, he skipped the party convention and was unable to garner enough support to get the Conservative Party's nomination, with that going to Rick Lazio, Republican known for his support of abortion rights
Pro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
, and gun control. In Paladino's place on the primary ballot was Ralph Lorigo, the chairman of the Erie County Conservative Party and a supporter of Paladino's campaign. Lorigo, being a party member, only needed 25% of the weighted vote at the party's convention on May 28, 2010 to get on the primary ballot instead of the majority required by non-party members. Lorigo joined forces with Steve Levy's supporters to get 42% of the weighted vote. Lorigo and Lazio faced off in the September primary. If Lorigo had won the primary, he could have moved out of state or accepted a nomination for State Supreme Court, clearing the line and allowing the Conservative Party to pick someone else through a committee. Family members of Paladino's campaign ran Lorigo's campaign, including Paladino's brother, Joseph Paladino, and Caputo's father, Raymond Caputo. Lazio defeated Lorigo in the Conservative primary by a 60-40 margin, only to drop out two weeks later. Long later indicated he would endorse Paladino and encourage his allies to nominate him as Lazio's replacement.
Paladino held a two-week boat tour at the end of May 2010 along the Erie Canal to acquaint himself with the rest of upstate New York. He began a television and radio advertising campaign in July of that year, including local TV stations as well as national ads on the Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
. He has frequently called for debates, first with Lazio (who declined) and now with Cuomo; Paladino has stated that he encourages minor-party candidates to be included in debates, echoing a call from Howie Hawkins
Howie Hawkins
Howie Hawkins is an American politician and activist with the Green Party of the United States and Socialist Party USA. He co-founded the anti-nuclear Clamshell Alliance in 1976 and the Green Party in the United States in 1984. He was New York's Green Party candidate for the U.S. Senate in the...
and Warren Redlich
Warren Redlich
Warren Redlich is a lawyer and politician from Guilderland, New York. In 2004 and 2006, Redlich ran for US Congress for the 21st District of New York State as a Republican. In 2005, he briefly served as the Political Director of the Libertarian Party of New York. He is currently a town councilman...
, two of the minor-party candidates in the race, to be included in debates. All seven candidates were scheduled to debate on October 18. Paladino had indicated a willingness to spend more than $10,000,000 of his own personal wealth on his campaign, with much of that spending being recycled to Ellicott Development.
Founding of the Taxpayers Party
Paladino also plans on founding a "Taxpayers Party" line, which will also field David MalpassDavid Malpass
David R. Malpass is an American economist and also ran in the 2010 Republican primary for U.S. Senate in New York. He is the founder and president of Encima Global LLC, an economic research and consulting firm based in New York City...
and Gary Berntsen
Gary Berntsen
Gary Berntsen is a decorated former Central Intelligence Agency career officer who served in the Directorate of Operations between October 1982 and June 2005...
for Senate candidates (both dropped out of their races, leading the party to nominate Joseph J. DioGuardi
Joseph J. DioGuardi
Joseph J. DioGuardi is a certified public accountant and a Republican politician. DioGuardi served in the House of Representatives representing the 20th Congressional district of New York from 1985 to 1989. He was also the Republican nominee for U.S...
as Malpass's replacement), Rus Thompson for comptroller, and will not field an attorney general candidate. The goal of the line is to give potential Republican candidates who were not selected by the Conservative Party an additional ballot line; as such, the organization is not backing an attorney general candidate and is only running a token comptroller (Thompson's own Web site does not even mention his candidacy), because Republican nominees Daniel M. Donovan, Jr.
Daniel M. Donovan, Jr.
Daniel M. Donovan, Jr. is an attorney and elected official from New York City. He currently serves as the district attorney for Richmond County, New York .-Early life:...
and Harry Wilson
Harry Wilson (businessman)
Harry Wilson is a former investor and restructuring expert who has served in several high-level positions in the U.S. Treasury Department and on President Barack Obama's Auto Industry Task Force. Wilson filed for office on February 16, 2010, running unopposed for the Republican primary for New York...
already have Conservative Party endorsements and the party does not seek to divide the Republican and conservative vote. Paladino's campaign submitted 30,000 signatures for the Taxpayers line on August 10, 2010. The line has drawn interest from other potential candidates for state office, and several state legislature candidates have filed petitions under the "Taxpayers" banner.
Results
Preliminary results showed Paladino earning 1,406,382 votes, or 34% of the total tally. He finished second to Andrew Cuomo, who had 61% of the vote. Paladino won all eight counties in the Buffalo media marketHolland Purchase
The Holland Purchase was a large tract of land in what is now the western portion of the U.S. state of New York. It consisted of about 3,250,000 acres of land from a line approximately 12 miles to the west of the Genesee River to the present western border and boundary of New York State.The land...
but only a few counties outside of that region, all of which were rural counties in upstate New York. Paladino helped propel the Conservative Party into third place on the ballot for the first time since losing the line in 1998, retaking the ballot line from the Independence Party of New York
Independence Party of New York
The Independence Party is an affiliate in the U.S. state of New York of the Independence Party of America. The party was founded in 1991 by Dr. Gordon Black, Tom Golisano, and Laureen Oliver from Rochester, New York, and acquired ballot status in 1994...
by drawing more votes on the Conservative line than Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Mark Cuomo is the 56th and current Governor of New York, having assumed office on January 1, 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the 64th New York State Attorney General, and was the 11th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development...
did on the Independence line. The Taxpayers line failed to achieve 50,000 votes, in part due to poor ballot location (the line was last on the ballot and on most ballots was placed in a second column). Paladino's strong showing also propelled Erie County into first place in the New York Republican Party's vote weighting; its votes will count 11.53% in state party votes, up from the previous 6.98%. After the election, Paladino indicated that it would be the last one in which he would be a candidate. Paladino, who lives in the 27th congressional district, was considering a run in the New York's 26th congressional district special election, 2011
New York's 26th congressional district special election, 2011
A 2011 special election in New York's 26th congressional district was held on May 24, 2011 to fill a seat in the U.S. Congress for New York's 26th congressional district. The vacancy was due to the February 2011 resignation of married Republican Chris Lee who resigned amid a scandal involving...
, but later ruled out a run for that seat, endorsing eventual Republican nominee Jane Corwin
Jane Corwin
Jane Lewis Corwin is an American politician and businesswoman who has served as a Republican Party member of the New York State Assembly since 2009. She represents the 142nd Assembly District which covers parts of Erie and Niagara counties...
, who lost to Kathleen Hochul.
Political positions
Paladino's campaign platform emphasized fiscal reform in Albany and improvement of the state's educational system.Paladino planned to use interpretations of the Constitution of the State of New York to declare a fiscal state of emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
, which he would then use to freeze compensation of state, municipal and school employees and cut the state budget by 10 to 20 percent. He proposed closing off welfare services to those who come from out of state to receive benefits, by placing a minimum residency requirement of one year before anyone could claim state benefits. He sought to cut the state's Medicaid
Medicaid
Medicaid is the United States health program for certain people and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the state and federal governments, and is managed by the states. People served by Medicaid are U.S. citizens or legal permanent...
budget by nearly 30%, or $20 billion ($10 billion from the state's share, the other $10 billion coming from the county and federal shares) by making significant cuts to benefits, reducing reimbursement rates, requiring identification, fingerprints and drug testing in order to receive benefits, and training family members to take care of people who would otherwise be in long-term care. He planned to eliminate state capital gains taxes and corporate franchise taxes, at a cost of approximately $1 billion.
In the past, Paladino has called for a constitutional convention to make changes in the state constitution, which, he argued, creates a welfare state
Welfare state
A welfare state is a "concept of government in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those...
and contributes to many of the state's problems. He has proposed increasing the frequency of constitutional convention referendums, currently set for every 20 years with the next one scheduled for 2017, down to 10 years, with the next one moved up to 2011. He has also expressed distaste for public service labor unions, which he has compared to pigs, and is an outspoken critic of state laws such as the Wicks Law, which sets prevailing wage
Prevailing wage
In government contracting, a prevailing wage is defined as the hourly wage, usual benefits and overtime, paid to the majority of workers, laborers, and mechanics within a particular area. Prevailing wages are established by regulatory agencies for each trade and occupation employed in the...
requirements, and the Taylor Law
Taylor Law
The Public Employees Fair Employment Act refers to Article 14 of the New York State Civil Service Law, which defines the rights and limitations of unions for public employees in New York....
, which gives unions significant negotiating advantages in exchange for prohibiting them from striking. He promised to take a hard line in negotiations with unions, whose contracts expire in April 2011, and would have refused to grant them favorable conditions. Non-union employees would have seen immediate pay cuts of 10 percent. He supported current governor David Paterson
David Paterson
David Alexander Paterson is an American politician who served as the 55th Governor of New York, from 2008 to 2010. During his tenure he was the first governor of New York of African American heritage and also the second legally blind governor of any U.S. state after Bob C. Riley, who was Acting...
's efforts to furlough state employees. In the event of a late budget, he would have shut down most levels of government except those related to public health and safety. Paladino would have first targeted what he considered to be patronage jobs for elimination; i.e., those who, according to him, received their jobs as political favors and through family connections. Deputy commissioners would be another target for elimination. He would also have relied on the state's rank and file to target persons "incapable for whatever reason of performing their functions at a cost productive level," and hoped to eliminate 60,000 jobs from the state workforce through these reductions. He would have sought to eliminate numerous perks such as state-owned take-home vehicles. He sought to institute a merit-based pay system and end automatic raises. Paladino favored what he called "school choice," saying it would "put some competition in the marketplace" against the New York State United Teachers
New York State United Teachers
New York State United Teachers is a 600,000-member New York state teachers union, affiliated since 2006 with the American Federation of Teachers , the AFL-CIO, and the National Education Association...
. Paladino also supported converting some minimum security prisons into Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
-style job camps for unemployed youth, which he dubbed the "Dignity Corps," a program he based on both the CCC and the work of a local mission in Buffalo.
He supported proposals to enforce excise tax laws on Indian tribes such as the Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
who have so far refused to pay said taxes and promised severe punishment if the tribes protested, stating: "The fact that the past three governors have neglected to go up and enforce the law because they're afraid of somebody standing on top of a police car or they're afraid of somebody burning some tires in the street, that's not me. Let one of them stand on top of a police car in my administration, it would be the last time they stood on top of a police car." He believes the tribes are run by a cabal of "fifteen to twenty thugs" who are using their price advantage to benefit themselves and not the general populace of their reservations. He supports the review and potential revocation of land claims given to the Iroquois; in particular, he believes the Turning Stone Resort & Casino is operating illegally and should be shut down. Ellicott Development had sold the land where the current Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino stands for between US$1,300,000 and US$3,750,000, and Paladino claims he only received $47,000 from the Seneca nation
Seneca nation
The Seneca are a group of indigenous people native to North America. They were the nation located farthest to the west within the Six Nations or Iroquois League in New York before the American Revolution. While exact population figures are unknown, approximately 15,000 to 25,000 Seneca live in...
for the land and that the plans for the casino were far different than the ones that were proposed at the time, incorporating hotels and restaurants that Paladino opposes.
Paladino supports hard term limits of eight years on all elected officials within the state's jurisdiction, including county and local governments. He also desires to see their positions declared "part time" and as such ineligible for a state pension or lifetime medical coverage; in addition, he opposes automatic cost of living adjustment increases and seeks to force legislators to take an up or down vote on their own pay raises. He would seek a complete reorganization of the state education department and encourages dissolution of the Board of Regents, the SUNY Board of Trustees, the Lower Manhattan Development Agency, the Empire State Development Corporation
Empire State Development Corporation
The Urban Development Corporation, doing business as Empire State Development Corporation is a public authority of the state of New York in the United States that has financed and operated several ambitious state projects by issuing tax exempt bonds....
, Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York)
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York is a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the U.S...
, the Off-Track Betting Corporation, the Adirondack Park Agency
Adirondack Park Agency
The Adirondack Park Agency was created in 1971 by New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller as a governmental agency that performs long-range planning for the future of the Adirondack Park. It oversees development plans of private land-owners as well as activities within the Adirondack Forest Preserve...
, and the New York Power Authority
New York Power Authority
The New York Power Authority , officially the Power Authority of the State of New York , is a New York State public benefit corporation and the largest state-owned power organization in the United States. NYPA provides some of the lowest-cost electricity in New York State, operating 17 generating...
. Similarly, the state Department of Transportation would, under Paladino's proposal, absorb the currently independent Thruway Authority
New York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
and the Bridge and Tunnel Authorities. Paladino has proposed the use of repeatedly calling special sessions to pressure uncooperative legislators into passing his legislation, much as current governor Paterson did during the 2009 New York State Senate leadership crisis
2009 New York State Senate leadership crisis
The 2009 New York State Senate leadership crisis was a political dispute in New York that began on June 8, 2009. The State Senate was controlled by Democrats with a 32-30 majority, when a bipartisan coalition of all 30 Republicans and two Democrats, Hiram Monserrate and Pedro Espada Jr., voted to...
and the 2010 budget negotiations. He supports moving the due date of the state budget, currently set for April 1, back to July 1 so that tax revenue can be better evaluated. He also proposes supermajority approval of any tax increase. At the local government level, he would consolidate the operations of most school district
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
s at the county level
Board of Cooperative Educational Services
In 1948, the New York State Legislature created the Boards of Cooperative Educational Services to provide school districts with a program of shared educational services.-History:...
, with a single appointed superintendent, and also consolidate other local town and village operations at that level. He is currently considering a solution for districts that span multiple counties. He does not support a reduction in operational aid for school districts and believes the budget can be balanced without reducing that aid. In response to criticisms regarding Paladino's existing leases to the state, he has stated that he is willing to renegotiate the prices he charges for the leases once they expire, and he would put most of his assets in trust, turning over operations of the company to his son. (Ellicott Development's leases currently charge a "below average" rate as it is, according to the state.) He is willing to support a hard property tax cap, such as the one Cuomo proposes, if it is part of a broader effort to cut spending. Some of these proposals would require amendments to the state constitution.
Paladino, who has a handgun permit and "carries wherever it is legal," is strongly in favor of firearm ownership and Second Amendment rights; he seeks to repeal the NYS Assault Weapon Ban.
He personally opposes same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
. He has spoken negatively of the concept of gay pride
Gay pride
LGBT pride or gay pride is the concept that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity...
, particularly the sexual demonstrations at gay pride parades, which he believes are unsuitable for children. In a speech to a group of Hasidic Jews organized by Yehuda Levin
Yehuda Levin
Yehuda Levin is the Rabbi and founder of Congregation Mevakshei Hashem Synagogue in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York.-Beliefs and political activities:...
on 10 October 2010, Paladino said, “I just think my children and your children would be much better off and much more successful getting married and raising a family, and I don’t want them brainwashed into thinking that homosexuality is an equally valid and successful option — it isn’t.” He later stated that he did not agree with the statement and had not fully proofread the speech before he read it. He has said he would take a more libertarian stance on the matter in regard to state policy; he follows a "live and let live" approach to the topic of homosexuality, actively opposes discrimination against homosexuals, and encourages a statewide referendum on allowing same-sex marriage in the state, saying that he would honor the result of said referendum. If the state legislature were to pass a bill legalizing same-sex marriage or civil unions without a referendum, he would veto it.
He is pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
and favors adoption over abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
even in cases of rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
or incest
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
. Abortion would not be a legislative priority if he were to be elected, but he would continue to personally advocate against abortion.
He is firmly in favor of drilling in the Marcellus Formation
Marcellus Formation
The Marcellus Formation is a unit of marine sedimentary rock found in eastern North America...
.
He opposes the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. The law is the principal health care reform legislation of the 111th United States Congress...
of 2010, and says that he believes that the long-term impact of the act would be just as memorable and possibly more deadly than the September 11 attacks. If elected, he would file a lawsuit to have the law overturned.
Paladino does not object to raising the minimum wage
Minimum wage
A minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly remuneration that employers may legally pay to workers. Equivalently, it is the lowest wage at which workers may sell their labour. Although minimum wage laws are in effect in a great many jurisdictions, there are differences of opinion about...
. He does object to excessive regulations on businesses. One regulation he does support is the elimination of food truck
Food truck
A food truck, mobile kitchen, mobile canteen, or catering truck is a mobile venue that sells food. Some, including ice cream trucks, sell mostly frozen or prepackaged food; others are more like restaurants-on-wheels...
s in the city of Buffalo, in part because they do not have the requirement of paying property tax
Property tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
es as brick-and-mortar businesses must, giving the mobile vendors an advantage that Paladino believes is unfair.
Paladino has pledged himself to one term in office and, like fellow businessmen-turned-politicians Chris Collins and Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
, would forgo collecting his salary if elected. He would then endorse his lieutenant governor for the 2014 gubernatorial election.
With regard to a planned Islamic community center two blocks from the site of the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York City, in late July, 2010, Paladino issued a radio ad which stated, "As Governor, I will use the power of eminent domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
to stop this mosque and make the site a war memorial instead of a monument to those who attacked our country." He added that the mosque should not be built within a range of "the dust cloud containing human remains [of the 9/11 victims] traveled".
Campaign controversies
In April 2010, a local progressive Web site released a series of racist and sexually explicit e-mails that purported to be from Paladino. Paladino acknowledged some of them were indeed circulated by him among a circle of friends, mostly in the construction industry. Campaign manager Michael Caputo initially stated that the authenticity of some of the e-mails could not be verified and continues to maintain that the e-mails were "of questionable origin;" the site themselves could not identify the anonymous source of the e-mails and was only able to verify them through a series of cc:Carbon copy
Carbon copying, abbreviated cc or c.c., is the technique of using carbon paper to produce one or more copies simultaneously during the creation of paper documents...
addresses included with the package of e-mails. Paladino acknowledged that some of the e-mails were authentic, but denied that he originated any of them, saying that he was nevertheless "somewhat careless" about forwarding them to others Paladino admitted many of these emails were "off-color
Off-color humor
The term off-color humor is an Americanism used to describe jokes, prose, poems, black comedy, blue comedy, insult comedy, cringe comedy and skits that deal with topics that are considered to be in poor taste or overly vulgar by the prevailing morality of a culture...
" and could be considered offensive, took responsibility for them, and apologized.
In a statement to The Politico
The Politico
The Politico is an American political journalism organization based in Arlington, Virginia, that distributes its content via television, the Internet, newspaper, and radio. Its coverage of Washington, D.C., includes the U.S. Congress, lobbying, media and the Presidency...
on September 29, 2010, Paladino asked why the media was concerned with any of his extramarital affairs, and not asking similar questions of Andrew Cuomo. New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
columnist Fredric U. Dicker
Fredric U. Dicker
Fredric Uberall "Fred" Dicker is a long time columnist for the New York Post. He is the state editor for New York since 1982 where he has covered the administrations of Hugh Carey, Mario Cuomo, George Pataki, Eliot Spitzer David Paterson and Andrew Cuomo....
confronted Paladino at a meeting of the New York State Business Council later that evening and insisted that Paladino produce evidence about any accusations against Cuomo, but Paladino alleged the Post had followed and photographed Paladino's daughter several days prior to the appearance, and demanded that Dicker not do it again or he would "take him out." Paladino later said he did not know of any actual affairs, and that the implication was not intended. The New York Posts editor in chief, Col Allen, in a statement released on Politico, said the Post did not send a photographer to the house of Paladino's daughter. Two days later, Allen admitted to sending photographer Christopher Sadowski and reporter Amber Sutherland to the 10-year old's house on two occasions but said the New York Post would not print the photographs their staff snapped of the child from outside the house. After the first visit, Sutherland wrote a story featuring photographs of the young girl's mother in the New York Post. Michael Caputo claimed he spoke to Sutherland who confirmed Dicker was her "team leader" for coverage of the child. Paladino told New York Post columnist Andrea Peyser
Andrea Peyser
Andrea Peyser is a columnist for the New York Post, well-recognized for her coverage of many "scandals" involving public figures.-Career:...
to clear Sutherland and Sadowski away from the child's windows before resuming an interview with her in Queens, and Peyser called Fred Dicker in front of Paladino to get that done.
On October 10, Paladino was criticized for "anti-gay remarks" to Orthodox Rabbis in Brooklyn. The speech was discovered to have been prepared by Rabbi Yehuda Levin
Yehuda Levin
Yehuda Levin is the Rabbi and founder of Congregation Mevakshei Hashem Synagogue in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York.-Beliefs and political activities:...
. Paladino apologized for his comments, saying that "The portrayal of me as anti-gay is inconsistent with my lifelong beliefs and actions and my prior history as an father, employer and friend to many in the gay and lesbian community," He later said he meant what he had said, but regretted not wording it differently. In response to this apology, Rabbi Levin rescinded his endorsement of Paladino.
In response to the controversies, Paladino took responsibility for them, saying "This the first time I have ever run for public office and yes, I let things get out of hand. It’s my responsibility. Nobody else’s. I have also learned what monsters the press can be."
Personal life
Paladino resides in the South Buffalo portion of the city of BuffaloBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, and is married to Mary Catherine Hannon. They had three children: William Paladino, Danielle Jacobs, and Patrick Paladino ( who died March 30, 2009, from injuries received in an automobile accident). Paladino also has a ten-year-old daughter from an extramarital relationship
Affair
Affair may refer to professional, personal, or public business matters or to a particular business or private activity of a temporary duration, as in family affair, a private affair, or a romantic affair.-Political affair:...
with his former employee, Suzanne Brady. He has five grandchildren. He owns a pit bull named Duke, which he has taken with him on his campaign stops.
Paladino was honored in 1991 by the City of Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
as Buffalonian of the Year and in 1993 as Alumnus of the Year by St. Bonaventure University
St. Bonaventure University
St. Bonaventure University is a private, Franciscan Catholic university, located in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students....
.
During his concession speech, Paladino gave a heartfelt address to his late son, Patrick. Nancy Naples
Nancy Naples
Nancy A. Naples, a member of the Board of Directors of Amtrak, is the former Commissioner of Motor Vehicles in New York. Naples was appointed State Motor Vehicles Commissioner by then-Gov. George Pataki in January 2006 following a 12-year political career in Western New York...
, chairwoman of the Paladino campaign told the New York Times that Paladino gained a feeling of emotional closure
Closure (psychology)
Closure or need for closure is a popular psychology term used to describe an individual's desire for a definite cognitive closure as opposed to enduring ambiguity...
through his gubernatorial campaign. After his vote on election day, he gathered with relatives for a prayer service dedicated to his son. Paladino had stated that running for governor was something his son wanted him to do.
External links
- Paladino for the Peopleofficial campaign site
- Ellicott Development official business site