Wagner Letter To Ball

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Contact: Steve Napier, steve@justinwagner2012.com , 518.892.3854

INDEPENDENT TAX WATCHDOG EXPOSES SENATOR BALL’S WILD SPENDING ON TAXPAYER MAILINGS & LABELS HIM “SELF-PROMOTER-IN-CHIEF”
Wagner Writes Ball Demanding End to Secret Budget and Calling for Full Disclosure: 
“Secret budgets may fly in Albany now, but the taxpayers deserve better”
PEEKSKILL, NY: Following a revealing column this past weekend from the Journal News’ Independent Tax Watchdog that labeled Senator Greg Ball the “Self-Promoter-in-Chief” for his extensive taxpayer funded mailings, today State Senate Candidate Justin Wagner called on Senator Ball to fully disclose the details of his campaign-style mailers paid for with taxpayer funds.
The Independent Tax Watchdog revealed that Senator Ball was the third largest spender of taxpayer funds on mailers out of the 62 Senators statewide – spending well over $100,000 in a single six month period. Moreover, he was the biggest spender in the Hudson Valley region. The article highlighted the campaign-style nature of the color glossy mailers – one including 18 pictures of Senator Ball – and quoted a Republican political consultant who said, “I have never seen anything this outrageous, ever.” The Independent Tax Watchdog concluded that, based on this spending of taxpayer money, Senator Ball was the Hudson Valley’s “Self-Promoter-in-Chief.”
Wagner, who has proposed a reform plan to reduce government spending on franked mail, wrote Ball today and called for full disclosure of the extent of his mailings. A copy of the letter can be found below. Wagner wrote: “As taxpayers, we paid for it and we have the right to know.”
Specifically, Wagner took issue with the statement of Ball Press Secretary, Mr. Bachmeier, who defended this spending of taxpayer funds in the article by saying it was “within an allotted mail budget.” Shockingly, when he was asked to disclose the budget by the Tax Watchdog, Mr. Bachmeier responded, “I tried to look into it, but it’s not a matter of public record.” On this point, Wagner told Ball: “This is outrageous, as either your office is keeping this budgetary allotment secret from the taxpayers, or you are working ‘within an allotted mail budget’ that you do not know the amount of (which I presume would make it difficult to ensure that you are staying ‘within’ budget). Secret budgets may fly in Albany now, but the taxpayers deserve better.”
Wagner called on Ball to provide disclosures of the extent of these mailers by May 29, 2012. If Ball fails to provide answers, Wagner is prepared to use the Freedom of Information Law to compel answers from Senator Ball. Wagner wrote Ball: “If you stand behind your spending of taxpayer dollars and your methodology of sending these mailers, I’m sure you will have no problem making a voluntary disclosure so that the public can have answers.”
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BACKGROUND
INDEPENDENT TAX WATCHDOG EXPOSES SENATOR BALL’S SPENDING & LABELS HIM “SELF-PROMOTER-IN-CHIEF”, Journal News, 5/19/12, http://www.lohud.com/article/20120519/NEWS04/305190038 .
JUSTIN WAGNER PROPOSES REFORM PLAN TO REDUCE STATE SPENDING ON FRANKED MAIL & END ABSUES BY LEGISLATORS, Daily Peekskill, 5/10/12, http://www.thedailypeekskill.com/news/wagner-blasts-balls-spending-mailings

LETTER FROM WAGNER TO BALL, 5/22/12:

Senator Greg Ball
1441 Route 22, Suite 205
Brewster, NY 10509

Senator Ball,
The Journal News’ recent expose about your mailing expenses, written by its Independent Tax Watchdog, raises important questions of public concern that deserve answers. I imagine you have a copy of the article, entitled “Tax Watch: Senator Ball’s Mailers Are Frankly Promotional”, but if not, it can be found online at: http://www.lohud.com/article/20120519/NEWS04/305190038.
The Independent Tax Watchdog revealed that you were the third largest spender of taxpayer funds on mailers out of the 62 Senators statewide – spending well over $100,000 in a single six month period. Moreover, you were the biggest spender in the Hudson Valley region. The article highlighted the campaign-style nature of your color glossy mailers – one including 18 pictures of you – and quoted a Republican political consultant who said, “I have never seen anything this outrageous, ever.” The Independent Tax Watchdog concluded that, based on this spending of taxpayer money, you are the Hudson Valley’s “Self-Promoter-in-Chief.”
In the article, your Press Secretary Mr. Bachmeier defended this spending of taxpayer funds by saying it was “within an allotted mail budget.” Shockingly, when he was asked to disclose the budget, Mr. Bachmeier responded “I tried to look into it, but it’s not a matter of public record.” This is outrageous, as either your office is keeping this budgetary allotment secret from the taxpayers, or you are working “within an allotted mail budget” that you do not know the amount of (which I presume would make it difficult to ensure that you are staying “within” budget). Secret budgets may fly in Albany now, but the taxpayers deserve better.
As the Independent Tax Watchdog points out, your abuse of taxpayer money is an affront to the hard working people of the Hudson Valley. We need answers to the extent of these campaign style mailers sent on the taxpayers’ dime. Please disclose the number of franked mailers you have sent to constituents since taking office as State Senator, the cost of each individual mailer and the target audience that each piece was sent to. As taxpayers, we paid for it and we have the right to know. I believe the public deserves answers, and the best way to resolve this is for you to come forward and publicly disclose the details of this spending. However, if you are not inclined to do so voluntarily, I will use the Freedom of Information Law to bring this information to light. There should be no secret budgets in Albany.
Please disclose the requested information by May 29, 2012, or I will be forced to compel production of the material from your office. If you stand behind your spending of taxpayer dollars and your methodology of sending these mailers, I’m sure you will have no problem making a voluntary disclosure so that the public can have answers.

Sincerely,

Justin Wagner
Cortlandt, New York

Bazzo 05/22/12