Sheridan Gorman was 18. She was walking with friends when she was shot and killed. The man who murdered her was in our country illegally. She should be alive today. But corrupt politicians like Kathy Hochul support policies that protect illegal aliens instead of our fellow Americans. She has spent billions of YOUR hard-earned dollars on them, and Tom DiNapoli signed off every step of the way. I'm an immigrant. My family did it the right way, and we're proud of it. Violent criminals who are here illegally don't belong in our communities. Enforce the law.

.@TomDiNapoli has been Comptroller for 19 years, and New York is still sitting on nearly $21 BILLION that belongs to New Yorkers. I have a different idea: give people their money back. My “It’s Your Money” Tax Cut will overhaul this broken system and get Albany out of the business of holding onto your money.

Your property taxes may be about to soar. Schenectady wants a 42% increase, about $1,156 more a year on a $200,000 home. Niskayuna's plan adds $310 on a $200,000 home, and Albany's 15% hike adds $280 on a $250,000 home, plus a new sales tax. Rotterdam is proposing 34%, Fulton County 28%, and Tompkins County 12.5%. Why? Local governments used federal COVID money to pay everyday bills, and now that money is gone. Health insurance and pension costs keep climbing. The 2011 tax cap limits property tax growth to 2% a year to protect homeowners, but local boards can override it with a 60% vote. The Comptroller is supposed to be the state's money watchdog, yet @TomDiNapoli kept Albany on his fiscal trouble list for four straight years and never forced a fix. As Comptroller, I will audit every government that breaks the cap, act before warnings become tax hikes, and cut pension fees so your local government pays less.

I was 7 when my family fled Cuba on a fishing boat. That government also promised to give people whatever they needed. What it delivered was ration books, empty shelves, and no way out. Dignity doesn't come from the state. It comes from freedom and opportunity. This is what made America the shinning city on the hill.

Let me explain what’s happening here. Between now and December, New York State, New York City and their public authorities plan to sell $8 billion in bonds. Take out the refinancing, and $4.7 billion of it is brand-new borrowing. So congrats, New York. You just added $4.7 billion to your credit card bill, on top of a $217 billion tab you're already carrying. Here's the part nobody in Albany says out loud: the payment on that debt has grown to an estimated $1.5 billion a month! Debt gets paid first. Before a single cop. Before a single teacher. Before one pothole is filled. And we're not the ones who'll finish paying it off. These bonds run 20 and 30 years. This is debt we're handing to our kids and grandkids, a bill they never voted for and can't refuse. And it gets announced with a one-line post and a spreadsheet, as if it's routine. It shouldn't be routine. The Comptroller is supposed to be the taxpayer's watchdog, not the scheduler for more debt. I've spent my career in capital markets. I know what this paper costs and who ends up paying for it. You do, and so will your children. New York deserves a Comptroller who asks "why?" before signing off.

I asked about his pay-to-play. @TomDiNapoli asked the moderator for help. New Yorkers deserve an answer.

Thank you to everyone who came out tonight to support me as I walked into the debate. Your energy means more than you know, and I won’t let you down. Now it’s time to make our case to New York. Tune in at 7 PM on Spectrum News or watch live here: youtube.com/watch?v=zIa2jJZX…