Democratic state Senate candidate Adam Haber on Monday released an economic plan that calls for the expansion of tax-free business zones in Nassau County, the refinancing of local municipalities and the annual elimination of unfunded state programs, which he said would help cut taxes, grow jobs and erase wasteful spending in Albany.
Under the five-point plan, Haber said he would want to become the Senate Democrats’ “fiscal watchdog” and identify unnecessary spending in the state budget as well as assist in forming joint purchasing agreements between municipalities to cut supply costs.
“I have a lifetime of experience in business and I know the pain of a Nassau County tax bill. Career politicians and Albany insiders like anti-choice Jack Martins have wasted taxpayer money for too long, and I’m running for Senate to change that,” Haber said in a statement. “As a senator, I’ll use my financial expertise to ensure every dollar spent by Albany is spent wisely, end unfunded mandates to lower our property taxes, and create a business-friendly environment here in Nassau.”
Haber is running against the Republican Martins, of Mineola, for the 7th state Senate district, which includes Mineola, Roslyn, Westbury, New Hyde Park, Williston Park, Garden City Park, Manhasset, Great Neck, Port Washington and parts of Floral Park, Franklin Square, Elmont, Valley Stream, Carle Place and Hicksville.
An East Hills restaurateur and former bond trader, Haber is a trustee on the Roslyn School District Board of Education. Prior to his election to the state Senate in 2010, Martins was the mayor of the Village of Mineola.
In an e-mail, state Senate GOP spokesman Scott Reif said that Haber “applying to be the fiscal watchdog for the Senate Democratic Conference is a little like being the guy with the shortest rap sheet in a state prison full of hardened criminals,” due to the party’s spending and tax creation during its previous Senate majority.
“While perpetual candidate Adam Haber was gearing up to run a failed campaign for county executive and then planning this quixotic run for the state Legislature, Jack Martins was working with Democrats and Republicans to pass four consecutive responsible on-time budgets, cut middle-class income tax rates to their lowest levels in 61 years, reduce the Senate’s budget by millions of dollars, and bring spending under control to ensure New York’s future,” Reif said.
