For Immediate Release:

Contact Samuel L. Rivers (914) 760 8136

NYS ASSEMBLY CANDIDATE UNVEILS PLAN OF ACTION TO GET NEW YORK BACK ON TRACK

Dear Voter,

Our state is facing serious economic challenges. Businesses are fleeing the state at rapid rates, property
values continue to decline, unemployment is at an all time high, the public school system is
deteriorating, and crime is on the rise. Yet, current elected officials still feel the need to increase taxes
placing even more economic strain on our working class citizens.

Just recently, State legislators including J. Gary Pretlow, voted to restore the sales tax that was
eliminated on clothing and shoe purchases under $110.00 to close the budget gap. The restoration of
this tax will hurt the very people it was designed to help: the working poor. With the start of school
right around the corner, many families will have to choose between feeding their families and putting
clothes on their back. When I take office of January 1st, I will immediately sponsor legislation
permanently eliminating sales tax on clothing and footwear purchases under $150.

My opponent J. Gary Pretlow has been silent on this issue and is only interested in lining his pockets
with money from special interests groups, specifically the New York Racing Association. Residents in
the 87th Assembly District which is comprised of the entire City of Mount Vernon and Southwest
Yonkers, suffer from failing schools and an extremely high poverty rate. On August 18th, the Journal
News published an article faulting Mount Vernon High School for poor instruction and leadership. The
same article also mentioned that 60% of Mount Vernon High School students are on public assistance,
yet Assemblyman J. Gary Pretlow continues to raise taxes that affect the working poor of the 87th
Assembly district. Pretlow just doesn’t get it.

Homeowners are also feeling the results of 18 years of Assemblyman Pretlow’s shenanigans in Albany.
Property taxes have increase 40% over the last five years. Where was Pretlow on this issue? However,
Pretlow lead the charge to bail out New York City based Off Track Betting with tens of millions of
dollars of taxpayer money.

riversnys2010@gmail.com www.rivers2010.blogspot.com
DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2010
Last year, Assemblyman Pretlow voted to approve the New York State budget that included the
elimination of the New York S.T.A.R. property tax rebate check. On average taxpayers received a
rebate check of about $1,000 every November. Middle class taxpayers overburdened with
Assemblyman Pretlow’s taxation looked forward to the much needed tax relief.

Assemblyman Pretlow was also the poster child for $5M in Spin- Up Aid. “Spin –UP” aid is a legislative
trick in which legislators enact legislation that allows school district to “borrow” funds from the next
calendar year’s budget. Voters were deceived into thinking that if they voted for the 2009-2010 budget,
they would receive the “Spin-UP” aid. Voters were also told that a “YES” vote for the budget would
result in a minimal tax increase. Instead, taxpayers saw their tax bill rise as much as 24% during the
2009-2010 school year. In the end, the Mount Vernon City School District did not receive a penny of
“Spin-Up” aid and taxes continue to rise. As usual, Pretlow remained silent on this issue.

In addition to an almost 9% tax increase for the 2010 -2011 school year, Mount Vernon residents will
also pay a 3% utility tax. Assemblyman Pretlow has decided that no one is immune from his predatory
taxation. Renters will now have to pay this excessive utility tax. Pretlow also voted on the legislation
that empowers school districts to enact these excessive taxes without voter approval. When I take
office on January 1st, 2011, I will sponsor legislation repealing the law voted on by Pretlow that gives
unlimited taxation powers to the schools districts that continue to pick the pockets of taxpayers.

Homeowners simply cannot afford the Pretlow taxes. That’s why I am proposing to cap property tax
increases at 2.3%. If the State of New Jersey can do it, then so can we. We can no longer sit back and
continue to pay double digit tax increases year after year. I am committed to fiscal responsibility, job
creation, and a smaller, efficient government. That’s why I have created a plan of action to get New
York back on track and residents in the 87th Assembly District back to work.

PLAN OF ACTION

 SAFE NY- The appearance of a safe and clean community is vital for economic development. I am
committed to a zero tolerance policy on crime. I will also sponsor legislation that will call for a
mandatory 5 year sentence in state prison for anyone caught possessing an illegal handgun, including
first time offenders. When I take office in January 2011, I will commit the resources needed to fight and
deter crime in the City of Mount Vernon and Yonkers. Recently both cities have seen a major increase in
violent crimes that have claimed the lives of our young people.

riversnys2010@gmail.com www.rivers2010.blogspot.com
DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2010
As your Assemblyman, I will commit resources to strengthen the community policing component in the
Yonkers and Mount Vernon Police Departments. I will also work hard to establish tax credits for police
officers who live in the communities that they patrol.

NY WORKS – Putting residents back to work in the 87th Assembly District will be the top priority of my
administration. Current economic development policies in New York State are wasteful and ineffective.
New York State loses tens of thousands of job each year to Southern States. These states have policies
that make it more favorable and equitable to do business there than on New York. We cannot continue
to allow this to happen.

The issue of high unemployment in our district will be immediate addressed by enacting an emergency
tax credit of $3,700 for businesses for each unemployed New York resident hired. This short term
solution will allow me to work on a long term plan to develop a strategy to addresses additional
business opportunities in New York State. In these economic times, we can no longer afford to pursue
the current wasteful approaches to economic development and job creation.

 TRANSPARANT NY – In order for New York to move forward and be taken seriously, the corruption in
Albany and in the Cities of Mount Vernon and Yonkers must be addressed. Currently elected officials
are not held accountable to the voters and are able to get away with these crimes against society
because they operate in total darkness. One of my top priorities when I take office is to audit the
governments and school districts in Mount Vernon and Yonkers for wasteful spending, sweetheart
contracts, and fraudulent spending.

Public Corruption cannot and will not be tolerated. Public corruption can affect everything from how
well our borders are secured and our neighborhoods protected…to verdicts handed down in
courts…to the quality of our roads and schools. And it takes a significant toll on our pocketbooks, too,
siphoning off tax dollars.

I am also committed to sponsoring legislation that will totally revamp New York State Election. The
current election law must be changed if integrity is to be restored to New York State government.

CHANGES BEING PROPOSED TO NEW YORK STATE ELECTION LAW

• Currently New York State Supreme Court Judges do not run in primaries. Instead they are
selected at Judicial Convention by Delegates. Delegates are handpicked puppets of Political
Parties do what they are told. After Judges are selected at the convention, their name is placed
on the ballot and voters are left with the judicial candidates selected by party bosses. Voters
never vote on or see the names of Judicial Delegate candidates on the ballot unless there in a
contested race.

riversnys2010@gmail.com www.rivers2010.blogspot.com
DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2010
 • Currently New York State Election Law allows for several conflicts of interest to exist. Chairman
of County Committees are also permitted to serve as Board of Election Commissioners and are
also allowed to run as candidates for party positions. The New York State Senate voted on
legislation to prohibit this practice that has gone on for decades. Assemblyman Pretlow and his
colleagues in the Assembly have not even introduced the bill on the floor of the Assembly.

 EDUCATE NEW YORK – Educating our young people should be the top priority of any person seeking
to run for public office. Our young people are the leaders of tomorrow. I have unveiled a plan of action
specifically for straightening out the dysfunctional school districts in Yonkers and Mount Vernon.

• Charter Schools: I will work for charter schools for the poorest of our urban students as an
alternative to dysfunctional schools of today. Charter schools set higher standards, are more
responsive to the needs of children and are accountable yet free from the onerous bureaucracy
placed on public schools. New York State charter law only allowed for 200 charters, 50 of those
reserved for New York City. I will work to lift that cap to a minimum of 500 schools, which would
then allow New York State to receive the $750 million in Federal Race to The Top Funds.

• Residential Charters: To ensure that no child is left behind, I will create residential charters in
the worst urban school district where children reside starting at kindergarten. These charters
will tackle problems created by dysfunctional homes such as ensuring proper dress codes, food
is supplied and overall conditions provide a learning atmosphere.

• Consolidation: I will consolidate schools to countywide districts to eliminate redundancy of

administration and allow for more funds to be devoted to lowering class sizes and excellence.

• Vouchers: I will advocate the option of vouchers for parents seeking a choice on where to
educate their children. This will provide solid educational opportunities for a wider selection of
our children.

• Remove Problem Tenured Teachers: New York has been burdened by Education Law 3020A
which inhibits the ability to discipline tenured teachers and protects incompetent teachers at
the expense of students. I will rescind this law making teachers more attuned to their
competency reviews.

riversnys2010@gmail.com www.rivers2010.blogspot.com
DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2010
 • Administration: I will demand that the Regents Board remove the School Board and
Superintendents of all school systems presently achieving a less than 60 percent graduation rate
or having more than 25 percent of its schools in any form of academic distress and replace them
with a competent “Special Master” with full authority to implement the changes necessary to
effectively and quickly address the dysfunction.

Implementing this plan of action will only become a reality if your vote is cast for me on
September 14th, 2010. You can look for me on 17A on the Democratic Line. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH OF
ASSEMBLYMAN PRETLOW WHO HAS MIS –REPRESENTED OUR DISTRICT FOR THE PAST 18 YEARS.

ONWARD TO VICTORY!

riversnys2010@gmail.com www.rivers2010.blogspot.com
DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2010