Tom Suozzi is not Good for Long Island
TOM SUOZZI RAISED TAXES
As Nassau County Executive, Suozzi raised taxes by more than $200 million through property taxes and instituting an energy-use tax.
Suozzi’s 1995 budget as Glen Cove mayor included a 29 percent tax hike and $2.8 million in cuts.
In his 2002 budget as Nassau County Executive-elect, Suozzi “fought for” a record 15 percent property tax increase, which at the time was “the single biggest tax hike in Nassau history.”
In his 2003 budget, Nassau County Executive Suozzi offered “a painful array of tax hikes and program cuts” that included a 19.4 percent property tax increase.
In February 2009, as an approach to closing an anticipated budget gap in Nassau County, Suozzi introduced an energy tax, which added 2.5 percent to the cost of electricity, natural gas, home heating oil, propane, and firewood.
TOM SUOZZI DEFUNDED THE POLICE AND HARMED PUBLIC SAFETY
As part of his 2003 budget process, Suozzi expressed his intention to eliminate 1,200 county jobs, including police. At the time, the leader of the Police Benevolent Association warned that cuts to the budget would jeopardize public safety.
In March 2021, Suozzi voted against a motion that condemned calls to “defund,” “dismantle,” or “abolish” the police.
In May 2017, Suozzi did not vote on the Thin Blue Line Act, which sought to add the murder of local and state police officers as an aggravating factor for a jury to consider when deciding on the death penalty for a defendant.
In September 2021, Suozzi voted for restricting the Department of Defense from transferring certain military equipment to federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies.
Suozzi voted in favor of the 2020 and 2021 versions of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which sought to restrict certain policing practices, eliminate qualified immunity, among other items.
TOM SUOZZI IS ALL IN…FOR TOM SUOZZI
In 2021, The New York Post reported that Suozzi used cash from his congressional campaign committee to pay himself over $37,000 in rent since January 2020. Suozzi paid “office rent” to a company called Ruvo Realty LLC, which according to his personal financial disclosures, he was the sole owner of.
In congress, Suozzi has repeatedly violated the STOCK Act, failing to disclose stock transactions past the deadline, to the point where the House Ethics Committee extended a probe into Suozzi’s finances. When questioned about why he did not disclose his stock trades within a timely manner, Suozzi declared he was too busy to deal with the “formality” of reporting those trades. Suozzi also blamed the ethics office for not staying on top of him.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, HCDC Holdings LLC (which Suozzi holds minority interest in) received two loans from the Payment Protection Program (PPP). Each loan was around $350,000 and were earmarked for payroll. Both loans were forgiven.
TOM SUOZZI HELPED CREATE THE MIGRANT CRISIS
In congress, Suozzi has repeatedly voted in favor of funding for sanctuary cities.
When Suozzi was Nassau County executive, the county police department issued an administrative order stating that it was not police policy to inquire about the immigration status of any person unless they were arrested for a crime.
In February 2019, Suozzi voted against a motion that would have notified ICE when an illegal immigrant attempted to purchase a firearm.
In 2007 as Nassau County executive, Suozzi confronted ICE agents when the agency arrested members of the Latino community. When referencing the incident during the June 2022 gubernatorial primary debate, Suozzi said he “kicked ICE out of Nassau County.”
PATHWAY TO VICTORY
Long Island has seen massive GOP gains in recent years, and the most recent November elections were no different:
- Won Suffolk County Executive (located in NY-01 and NY-02) by 14.2% (flip to Ed Romaine).
- Won NYC Council 19 (in NY-03) by 20.8% (Vickie Paladino won re-election after facing a former incumbent in that race).
- City of Long Beach Council member incumbent Democrat Tina Posterli lost. All three winners were GOP.
- Town of North Hempstead, 2nd District GOP Edward Scott beat incumbent Peter Zuckerman.
- Nassau County Legislator 18th District GOP Samantha Goetz beat Dem incumbent Joshua Alexander Lafazan.
This comes for a number of reasons: strong county parties, candidates with unique backgrounds, and Democrats repeated failures on what matters to voters.
Recent public polling as repeatedly shown disapproval for the direction New York state is headed:
- October Siena Poll: a stunning 84% of voters consider the influx of migrants a serious problem, with 57% identifying it as a “very” serious problem.
- July Siena Poll: 41% of New Yorkers have ‘never’ been this concerned about their safety.
- May Siena Poll: “…59% believe crime is a ‘very serious’ problem in the state. Most support toughening the state’s bail laws.”
BOTTOM LINE
With Tom Suozzi’s incredible weaknesses, Mazi Pilip’s limitless ceiling and Long Island’s rightward movement, NY-03 is up for grabs for the GOP.