George E. Pataki, the 53rd Governor of New York State, has shown that strong leadership and commitment to core principles can position the Empire State to lead the nation well into the 21st Century. New York State's first Republican-Conservative chief executive, George Pataki was elected Governor on November 8, 1994. On November 3, 1998, he was re-elected by a margin of twenty percent, the largest landslide for a Republican Governor in history. Re-elected to a third term on November 5, 2002, George Pataki won by a margin of over 725,000 votes.

On September 11, 2001, New York City and New York State suffered the greatest attack on the American homeland in our history. Thousands of innocent civilians lost their lives, and thousands upon thousands more were affected by the aftermath of the attacks.

Beyond the horrific and unprecedented loss of life, the attacks led to the direct loss of over 100,000 jobs, dealing a devastating blow to New York's economy. This impact, combined with the national recession and the unique problems facing the financial services industry, a lifeblood for New York's economy, leaves New Yorkers facing their worst economic, fiscal and public safety crisis since the Great Depression and World War II.

Beginning on September 11th itself and on every day since, Governor Pataki has led New York forward through mourning and memorials to recovery and restoration. Following the attacks, the Governor launched a comprehensive effort to revitalize the economy and restore stability to the state's finances. He also put the safety of every New Yorker as his top priority, authorizing retired state troopers to return to service, mobilizing the National Guard to protect New York's transportation hubs, energy facilities and critical infrastructure and creating a State Office of Public Security.

When the Governor took office in 1995, New York faced a multibillion dollar deficit, with nearly no funds in reserve. Statewide, many New Yorkers had lost hope in the future, and New York, once a national leader, had lost its luster. Policies of years past had seen high taxes, excessive government regulation and anti-growth attitudes lead to economic stagnation. Crime rates and welfare rolls were both high and rising ever higher. Governor Pataki led with both a mandate and a commitment to restore hope and opportunity, reversing those failed policies.

Since 1995, Governor Pataki has spurred economic growth: cutting personal, business and property taxes 63 separate times, saving New Yorkers a cumulative $65 billion; reduced bureaucratic red tape by revising, reforming or eliminating over 2,300 regulations, saving businesses over $3 billion; and cutting workers' compensation and unemployment insurance costs. These moves freed the private sector to create jobs for all New Yorkers. The Governor's leadership restored hope to those on welfare, replacing welfare with workfare for the able-bodied while ensuring the truly needy received the help they needed and deserved. The Governor renewed in honest people the belief that they can live safely in our largest cities and smallest towns, by enacting the death penalty, lengthening prison terms and ending parole for violent felons. He returned to New Yorkers confidence in the future by improving the state's environment, improving health care for children and ensuring that education dollars go to the classroom.

As part of the Governor's efforts to transform New York's economy for leadership in the 21st century, he has led an aggressive effort to bring high-tech jobs and opportunities to every region of the State. A $1 billion technology program, anchored by unique private-public partnerships - Centers of Excellence in Albany, Buffalo, Greater Rochester, Long Island and Syracuse - is well on its way to remaking the industrial and manufacturing centers into birthplaces of new technologies and products. Bearing early fruit, the Albany Center of Excellence recently became home to International SEMATECH North, a $400 million advanced research initiative that will bring thousands of jobs to the Capital Region. SEMATECH, which transformed Austin, Texas with the opening of its first research facility, chose New York over all other states and several foreign countries because of New York's pro-business policies and the commitment to high-technology industry.

Governor Pataki's first two terms showed the Pataki formula works. In every area, from the economy, education, criminal justice and environmental conservation, New York and New Yorkers saw evidence of a turnaround. Instead of leading the nation in raising taxes, as New York once had, under the Governor's leadership, our state has been, and will continue to be a national leader in cutting taxes. Cutting taxes created jobs - nearly 600,000 new, private sector jobs. Since 1995, New York's welfare rolls have dropped by over one million, to the lowest level since the 1960's. New York, once notorious for its high crime rates, now leads other large states in reducing violent crime, thanks to Governor Pataki's smart and tough criminal justice reforms. Responsible fiscal stewardship turned chronic budget deficits into record surpluses. Prudent planning placed record amounts in reserve, helping New York maintain critical services through the fiscal challenges caused by the September 11th attacks and the national recession. New York's renewed emphasis on the individual, smarter and smaller government and responsible leadership is symbolized by the Governor's receipt of the Golden Heart Award from the Association for Children for Enforcement of Support three times since 1997. This award recognizes that under Governor Pataki's leadership, New York has led the way in ensuring that deadbeat parents meet their obligations. Child support payments in New York State now top $1.3 billion annually.

Governor Pataki's "governing philosophy" was and is simple: believe in people, not bureaucracy; pursue smart ideas that work; and commit to sweeping fundamental change that prepares New York for the challenges ahead. "I believe in a government that expands personal freedoms and allows honest and responsible citizens to enjoy the benefits of their hard work," Governor Pataki says. "I believe New York is a place where private enterprise and entrepreneurial spirit can thrive and prosper; where those who need a helping hand not only receive it, but are permitted to lift themselves to a better life. Above all, I believe in raising the government's standards to meet the greatness of its people." That is as important today, as it was when he first said it. Governor Pataki's vision still centers on ensuring today's children have the same opportunities he and others of his generation were given - to receive a quality education and build a family and a life in New York; as he says, "to have their dreams come true in New York ... New York was always the place where we knew that tomorrow would be better than today, that our children would have a better life than we did, and their children's lives would be even better than that. That is what New York has always represented to the country and the world, and what it represented to me as a kid growing up in Peekskill." That vision of New York has been on display as New York came back economically, and it was on display as New Yorkers, united and strong, came back from the tragedy of September 11th. New York has been, and continues to be an international symbol of communal freedom and individual liberty.

Governor Pataki was born on June 24, 1945, on his parent's Peekskill, New York family farm. He is a 1967 graduate of Yale University and a 1970 graduate of Columbia Law School, both of which he attended on academic scholarships. The Governor, his wife, the former Elizabeth (Libby) Rowland, and their children Emily, Teddy, Allison and George Owen reside in Garrison, New York, along the lower Hudson River. Before being elected Governor, George Pataki served 10 years in the state Legislature and was Mayor of his hometown. He was the youngest mayor ever of the city of Peekskill, and was re-elected with the largest plurality in the city's history.