Thomas Golisano said today he is willing to "flip flop" and support Republican legislators in next year's campaigns if Democratic lawmakers he funded last fall raise taxes to balance the 2009 budget.
Golisano took his message to the state Capitol today in a last-ditch effort to remind lawmakers he supported last fall to "do the right thing." His news conference occurred as closed-door talks, involving Gov. David Paterson and legislative leaders, were under way just a floor below him.
"We're going in the wrong direction. The last thing you do in a recession is to raise taxes on your population. They need their money to survive," said the Rochester billionaire and owner of the Buffalo Sabres.
State officials are eyeing potentially billions of dollars in higher taxes and fees on everything from income and sales taxes to health insurance premiums and utility bills as a way to help close a $16.2 billion deficit.
Golisano formed a political action committee last year, Responsible New York, and spent several million dollars supporting state legislative races, mostly Democrats, who won control of the Senate after 70 years of GOP domination.
But Golisano said he is worried that lawmakers, including some he may have supported, are now poised to push through a new state budget that does not cut enough spending while sending New York's taxes higher.
Would he not back in next year's legislative races those lawmakers who support tax hikes?
"I can't say that categorically, but that's the general thinking," Golisano responded. "I mean, even if we have to go to the point of supporting every challenger and no incumbent."
Golisano noted his support was mostly for Democratic causes last fall.
"Maybe next time that leaning won't be there and if we felt that the other organization has a better mentality towards Responsible New York, then we'll support those guys. We'll flip flop. That's the great thing of what we are about is that we are interested in the end result," he said.
To rank-and-file lawmakers who stand up to their legislative leadership on the budget vote, Golisano said, "We can tangibly say to those people that, 'Vote against the budget and Responsible New York is here to stand behind you. We think you're doing the right thing. And if the leaders or the speakers or the special interests won't support you, we will.'"
Golisano railed against powerful unions representing teachers and health care workers. He said the state's economy cannot handle a state budget that continues to drive up taxes and ignores reforms such as consolidating government services.
Research by the payroll processing firm he founded, Paychex, shows the slowest growing metropolitan areas in the nation for small business creation are Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany.
"Responsible New York is here today to say enough is enough. It's time to face reality and do the right thing," Golisano said.
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