Senator Ruben Díaz Sr. who is also the President of the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization and Pastor of the Christian Community Neighborhood Church in the Bronx, welcomed Mr. Carl Paladino to the clergy breakfast at Maestro’s Caterer’s this morning.
According to Senator Rubén Díaz, an invitation has been sent to New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and to Mr. Rick Lazio also candidates for Governor of the State of New York. “The purpose of this meeting is to hear their responses to our community needs such as Education, Health, Employment, Housing and other issues. By doing this, our community will be educated in their position and will have a better understanding regardless of their political parties,” stated Senator Díaz.
Rev. Diaz said that every election candidates tell us how much they love us, what they will do for us, and that they want our votes, but after the election they are gone. "We are going to give all the candidates the courtesy to come and speak to us".
When Republican candidate for governor Carl Paladino arrived shortly after the start of the breakfast, Rev. Diaz told him "you are the only one of the three candidates for governor to give us the respect to show up here, and speak to us". "If the other two candidates won't respect us by showing up they must not want our vote".
Candidate Paladino said that he is a businessman, lawyer, and a developer, who is running for office for the first time. "I am an outsider to Albany, I am the only anti abortion candidate, I am against gay marriage (as marriage is between a man and a woman he added), and I will fix what's wrong in Albany". Paladino added that he will go to Albany with a baseball bat (that bat being the voters he added) to bring back a government that will serve all the people. Paladino wants to lower spending by 20 percent, taxes by 10 percent, and create job expansion. Paladino said that Washington is a disgrace, and that Albany makes Washington look like a bunch of choir boys.
Rev. Diaz said to Paladino that we might agree on some issues and that they might disagree on some, but that you came to talk to us. Diaz said that the meeting was arraigned through the Bronx Republican Party County Leader Jay Savino (who could not attend due to business), and that Bronx Board of Election Commissioner J.C. Polanco stood in for Savino.
Rev. Diaz then ask Paladino "the papers say that you are anti hispanic, and want to put us all in jail". Paladino replied by saying that there are those who want to slow me down and call me a racist, but those who know me laugh at that. Paladino added that the public school system has failed all children, and that he was in favor of charter schools. Paladino continued to say that he would set up a system where people would have to choose to finish school, join the national guard, or go into fields of service such as forestry in rural areas, or in urban areas service to the cities.
When asked how people of color would play a role in the Paladino administration, the reply was that Paladino is color blind, and that people will be chosen by ability and not by color. When I asked one of Paladino's aides who came with him how many people of color are on the campaign staff, I was told out of the eight paid staffers-none, but some of the volunteers are.
When it came to the question of immigration Paladino said "children born here are citizens, but illeagal immigrants should be given a clear path to go back where they came from".
My question to candidate for governor Carl Paladino was what he thought about the recent test score uproar in New York State and New York City, and was he in favor of bi-lingual education in the schools? Paladino's answer was "I am not familiar with the recent test scores or bilingual education".
