Republicans seem to be paying more attention to Chris Callaghan than John Faso these days, but the Republican gubernatorial nominee has released two ads that will begin airing later this week.
The first commercial is on income taxes. Faso, seated in a chair, says, “Taxes in New York are 53 percent above the national average and people are leaving this state. The solution: cut taxes to make New York more competitive. Under my plan a couple making less than $50,000 will pay no tax. Everyone earning more will see a 25 percent tax cut. And we’ll eliminate capital gains taxes to help create new jobs. You can bank on the fact that Eliot Spitzer will raise your taxes. I will cut them. I’m John Faso and I ask for your vote.”
Here Faso appears to be referring to a phrase from a Spitzer “To Do List” ad in which the Democratic nominee ends by saying, “There’s one thing we’re not going to raise, your taxes. You can take that to the bank.”
In Faso’s second ad, about his property tax cut, he uses a similar format. He says, “Taxes in New York are 53 percent above the national average and people are being forced to sell their homes and leave this state. The solution: cut school taxes to make New York more competitive. I’ll double the STAR exemption, put a cap on local school taxes and eliminate the state laws that force local districts to spend more than they should. You can bank on the fact that Eliot Spitzer’s plan will raise taxes. I will cut them. I’m John Faso and I ask for your vote.”
Spitzer has a plan to steer $6 billion worth of STAR exemptions, primarily to middle class New Yorkers, over three years.