League of Women Voters of New York Education Foundation
New York State Government November 7, 2006 Election
	Willie Cotton Answers Questions Candidate for Comptroller; State of New York

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of New York State and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. As state comptroller, your duties would include overseeing the fiscal affairs of the state. This year's $114.7 billion budget calls for the largest state spending increases in 30 years with spending growing faster than revenues. Is this fiscal responsibility on the part of the governor and legislators? Why or why not? Explain.

I am using my campaign to promote and participate in the resistance by working people to the growing assaults on our rights and living standards by the ruling rich and their government--from Albany to Washington--to continuing cuts in social services from education and welfare to housing.

2. Skyrocketing public employee pension expenses have inflated the budgets of every level of government in New York State. What reforms would you propose to ease the burden for taxpayers?

Faced with unrelenting attacks on wages, pensions, healthcare, and social security, workers have to fight to preserve what we've won over decades of struggle, like the New York transit workers' strike in 2005. Workers need a labor party, based on the unions, that fights in our interests.

3. What do you propose to end the excessive Medicaid fraud in New York State?

The biggest fraud is that of the ruling rich and their government. William Clinton's administration dismantled social welfare for the most vulnerable. We need a revolutionary movement that can lead a fight by workers and our allies to take power out of the hands of the ruling billionaire class.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League. 

• Original answers for a published Voters Guide were limited to 50 words and are presented as submitted. Candidates have since been invited to supply answers of any length for the Web.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 10, 2006 18:54
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