Multimillionaire developer says he would forgo the $179,000 salary or give it all to charity.
View full sizeNew York Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino.After a fundraiser on Tuesday night, Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino told the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle he would work for free if he's elected.
The multimillionaire businessman from Buffalo said he would either forgo the $179,000-a-year salary or give it all to charity.
"When I say donate it, I mean the whole thing. I think there are a lot of worthy causes that could use the money," Paladino told the newspaper.
Earlier in the day, Paladino created a stir when he called Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver a 'criminal,' while discussing his plans for cutting taxes and government spending at a Crain's business breakfast in Manhattan.
"You can smell there's something wrong when he lets New Yorkers suffer the highest insurance rates in the country," Paladino said of Silver.
A new Siena College poll released on Tuesday shows Democrat Andrew Cuomo leading Paladino by 24 points among likely voters. Sixty-one percent of those polled agreed that Paladino is a “loose cannon, who doesn’t have the temperament to be governor.”
What do you think of Paladino's pledge to work for free? Who will you vote for in the governor's race? Leave your comments below.
» Democrat & Chronicle: Carl Paladino would work as governor for free
» AP: Siena poll has Cuomo leading Paladino by 24 points in NY governor's race
» Buffalo News: Paladino tirade ignites brouhaha with Silver
» AP: Cuomo tries to seize momentum in NY governor race
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