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ASTORINO: 'START UP NY AD CAMPAIGN WAS CORRUPT FROM THE START' ----- IN-STATE AD CAMPAIGNS SHOULD BE ILLEGAL IN ELECTION YEARS ---- Cuomo Has Ethical Obligation to Return $50 Million Just Allocated for More Ads
New York--May 11...The New York State Comptroller report released today on Governor Andrew Cuomo's Start UP NY advertising campaign, proving that the $211 million taxpayer dollars spent on TV ads created virtually no new jobs, raises serious ethical questions about Mr. Cuomo's decision to run the ads, especially in an election year, Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino today charged.
The State Legislature just appropriated $50 million more for Start Up ads at the request of the governor.
"I commend Comptroller Tom DiNapoli for having the courage to call out the Start Up campaign for what it is: an historic waste of tax dollars," County Executive Astorino said. "Mr. Cuomo's ads were designed for two reasons -- to boost his image nationally and to stabilize his falling approval ratings here in New York going into a re-election year. It took tens of thousands of New York taxpayers to foot the bill for those ads, and they got absolutely nothing for their money. That is morally unacceptable."
Mr. Cuomo is familiar with the controversy -- and benefits -- of taxpayer-paid election year ads, Mr. Astorino noted. Former New York Governor Mario Cuomo was heavily criticized by good government groups while in office for appearing in TV ad campaigns funded with tax dollars, a practice now prohibited in New York State. Andrew Cuomo served as one of his father's top advisors. Andrew Cuomo does not personally appear in Start UP New York ads, but they clearly benefit his image as governor, suggesting that New York is making significant economic strides when it is not. New York continues to be ranked as the state with the worst economic outlook in America.
"These thinly disguised political ads are a slap in the face to New York families squeezed to the breaking point by nation-leading taxes and other expenses," Astorino added. "Governor Cuomo has an ethical responsibility to return to taxpayers the $50 million allocated this year. These ads have no public benefit and no place in New York, especially during election years. If Governor Cuomo was serious about addressing New York's economic woes, he would stop trying to pick winners and losers, and instead focus on cutting taxes and regulations across the board so that New York can be economically competitive again."
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