On May 27, Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos announced his candidacy for the US Senate seat currently held by Senator Charles Schumer. Maragos, a Republican, has been in office as Nassau County comptroller since January, having been elected in November 2009. Maragos and his family are longtime Great Neck residents.
Maragos has stated that the issues in his campaign focus on the federal government, which he said, has been “… adding higher costs, higher taxes and more government control on our local governments and businesses.”
The actual campaign issues, according to Maragos, are:
“Health Care reform will cost New York over $5 billion each year in Medicaid funds and reduce Medicare for senior citizens.”
“Financial reform will destroy jobs right here in New York City, Nassau County and throughout the state.”
“Cap & Trade (or Cap & Tax) will add more regulation and more taxes to our business and drive more jobs away.”
The last issue is his concern with “the reduction in Homeland Security funding.”
If elected, Maragos said he would concentrate on the following priorities: Put the Empire State first; protect and create more jobs in the private sector; lower taxes; protect individual freedoms; and “demand fiscal responsibility in Washington.”
Maragos believes that he is well equipped for the U.S. Senate post. A New Yorker for 32 years, he believes that his 35 years of private business accomplishments, including vice president at Chase and vice president at Citibank, go a long way in preparing him for a future at the federal government level.
As the current Nassau County comptroller, Maragos said that he has already used his business experience. “I have applied my 35 years of common-sense business experience in senior management to bring results by streamlining government, promoting efficiency and cutting waste and malpractice … I moved quickly to restore fiscal responsibility,” he said.
Stating that this country is “in the third year of a major recession during which millions of Americans have lost their jobs,” with “families doing more with less,” Maraos said that “Washington has been doing less with more,” with the result being “our children and grandchildren will pay the price … in a limited, over-regulated economy paying more taxes for less service.” This, he said, “is not acceptable.”
Maragos believes that “Americans want less deficit spending, elimination of earmarks, smaller government, fewer entitlements, and more individual freedom.” He said he too thinks this is crucial and that this is what he would work for in the Senate.
“I will put New York and its hard-working taxpayers first,” Maragos said, adding that “As your senator, I will go to Washington to do what is right for the people of New York and not my political career or special interests … my business background trained me how to achieve results …”
Noting that “these are crucial times for New York and for America,” Maragos asks New York State voters to support his candidacy. “If you join me in this fight, we can win. I’m confident we will prevail and restore prosperity and opportunity in New York, and leave our children a stronger, safer, and more prosperous America,” he said.
