EFTA01958176.pdf

To: jeeyacationeNmaitoomfjeeyacation©gmail.comi From: Catsimatidis for Mayor Sent Fri 8/23/2013 12:40:10 AM Subject: staten Island Small Business Group endorses Republican Catsimatidis for Mayor in September 10 election Title: staten Island Small Business Group endorses Republican Catsimatidis for Mayor in September 10 election Dear Friend. Please vote September 10. Thank you. John Catsimatidis CATSIMATIDIS FOR MAYOR 2013 Press Release For Immediate Release August 22, 2013 Contact: Chapin Fay 516-477-4335 On site - Leticia Remauro 718-354-6032. STATEN ISLAND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ENDORSE JOHN CATSIMATIDIS SLAM LHOTA FOR LACK OF LEADERSHIP WHEN HE WAS MTA CHAIR Staten Island, New York: A group of Staten Island business members led by Steve Margarella, are endorsing John Catsimatidis for Mayor of New York City. Touting the fact that Mr. Catsimatidis is a "straight shooter" and a "savvy businessman who knows the difference between a good deal and a bad deal", Margarella and the rest of the group, who go by the name of Citizens Against the Tolls, threw their support behind John Catsimatidis. Said Margarella, "John Catsimatidis is the only person in this race who understands the struggles of small business men and women. He knows that New York City is the toughest place to start a business and an even tougher place for a business to succeed. Yet he pulled himself up from the streets of Harlem to become one of the most successful businessmen in America today. You have to admire a guy who has achieved that level of success yet is willing to give back to the people of New York City by running for Mayor." Margarella continued, "In November, I attended the MTA toll hike hearings and I pleaded with Joe Lhota to listen to the plight of the small business person on Staten Island. One after another, people got up and spoke passionately about their circumstances, telling Joe that a toll and fare hike would surely destroy their quality of life. Joe Lhota and the MTA board only pretended to listen. I say only pretended to listen because now Joe Lhota is saying that he never had a choice — he had to raise the tolls and fares because of a deal that was made in Albany. If there was a deal, why did Lhota even bother to have the hearings? Why not tell everybody to live with it and save the time, travel, heartache and the expense of having hearings where nobody was heard? What we needed from Joe Lhota was leadership — what we got were excuses. I believe that John Catsimatidis has the leadership ability and negotiating skills to save Staten Island and New York City from further toll and fare hikes." Said Bob Cutrona, President of Project One, "I became a civic leader the exact same day I opened EFTA_R1_00430201 EFTA01958176 my business in Staten Island. I did it because I had too. Years ago a group of business leaders such as those standing before you, lobbied Albany to get the sales tax removed from clothing so that Staten Islanders wouldn't cross the bridge to shop in New Jersey. We were successful with our efforts thanks to a man named George Pataki who heard our cries and reduced sales tax on clothing in New York State. "New York City's constant barrage of rising tolls, prevailing wage, sick pay bills, property taxes, water charges, fees, fines and regulations on small business is forcing us to move to more business friendly states. John Catsimatidis has promised to stop all that. Today I stand with him to ask for his support with our efforts to get the MTA to earmark $15 million dollars to cut the Verrazano Narrows Bridge tolls on residents and resident businesses in half. Staten Island has been hemorrhaging money to support Nassau and Suffolk county commuters for far too long. If Albany asks where they are going to get the money for the Staten Island discounts, let's tell them to take if from Long Island." Said John Catsimatidis, "I am humbled by the show of support from everyone here today. It takes guts to open a business in New York City in this climate. Taxes are too high, water bills are too high, tolls arc too high, transportation has been cut and regulations are ridiculous. But as difficult as it is to run a business in the other four boroughs, it is that much harder to run a business on Staten Island. Small business can't move their product off the island without paying a toll. They are trapped. It seems like every year those tolls are climbing higher and higher. These businesses employ thousands of people and pay millions in taxes. They need a toll break so they can be competitive with the other businesses around the city. As Mayor, I promise to appoint people to the MTA board who will approve the resident discount program that will include resident businesses so that we can level the playing field a bit and keep Staten Island businesses from fleeing to New Jersey." For more information on John Catsimatidis go to WWW.Cats2013.com Forward this rnessaue to a friend Click to view this email In a browser If you no longer wish to receive these *mails. please reply to this message with "Unsubsenbe- in the subject line or simply click on the following link: Unsubscnbe Catsimatitils for Mayor 823 11th eve Now York. Now York 10019 US Read the VecbcalResponse marketing policy. EFTA_R1_00430202 EFTA01958177