State Senate Candidate Wagner Criticizes Sen. Ball's Spending on Mailers

Glossy mailers featuring Sen. Greg Ball with his dog should not be paid for by taxpayer dollars, said Sen. Ball’s District 40 challenger Justin Wagner today during a press conference at his Peekskill headquarters. Wagner also released a YouTube video featuring Ball’s former opponent, that attacks Ball for his spending on mailers promoting Ball’s work to repeal the MTA payroll tax.

According to Wagner, who is a Croton resident and Democratic Party candidate, Ball has spent more money on mailers than any other Hudson Valley Senator and is the third highest spender on mailers in the State Senate.

 “In the period from April until September 2011, Senator Ball spent $108,903 of taxpayer funds on bulk postage mailers,” Wagner said.

“It is hypocrisy. He claims he is a fiscal conservative but he is the third biggest spender (on mailers) in the Senate,” Wagner said.

Calling Ball’s mailers “campaign style,” Wagner accused the senator’s literature of being too self-promotional and said it does not address substantial constituent issues.

Sen. Ball’s office says that government mailers are a non-issue right now. In an email statement Ball’s staff wrote:

"Right now the Senator is focused on cutting taxes and creating jobs. Our mail alerts seniors on tax exemptions, informs veterans to sign up for benefits, helps not for profits spread awareness and is all within an allotted budget."

Wagner, who is running on a campaign of government reform, explained a proposal to decrease taxpayer dollars spent on mailers. He wants to require a disclosure on the mailers in large and bold print that the mailing was paid for with tax dollars; cut spending on mailers by 50 percent; prohibit any mailing at public expense three months prior to an election; eliminate campaign-style practices in taxpayer funded mail, such as large color pictures of legislators.”

Watch Wagner’s YouTube attack video here.