Hochul campaigns on LI; Astorino presses Cuomo on debates

Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Katherine Hochul stumped on Long Island Monday, with a schedule that included tours of downtown Baldwin and Huntington and the guitar string manufacturer D'Addario & Co. in Farmingdale.

Hochul told a handful of Long Island executives at a roundtable lunch at D'Addario that New York State has improved its business climate under Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, noting cuts to the estate tax and to income tax rates for the middle class.

"You have a very strongly pro-business governor," Hochul said.

Hochul's nine stops in Nassau and Suffolk came as Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino complained that Cuomo has shut down debate negotiations and failed to agree to a one-on-one matchup.

Likening Cuomo to Russia's president, Astorino said: "Vladimir Putin debated his opponent on television in Russia. But Andrew Cuomo won't do the same in New York. What does that tell you about him?"

Astorino said that, as a result, he won't participate in a radio-only debate in Manhattan, to which Cuomo did agree.

In a stance typical of challengers, Astorino has been calling for numerous forums. Cuomo didn't weigh in on the issue until 11 days ago when his campaign announced he had accepted two debate invitations -- one in Buffalo that includes all the minor-party candidates and one on WNYC, a public radio station in Manhattan. The latter won't be televised.

Astorino's camp has said Cuomo's camp didn't negotiate with them at all.

Cuomo campaign spokesman Matt Wing countered, "First, Astorino wanted a debate anytime, anywhere including with others -- now he won't show up to a one-on-one debate with the governor on the most listened to public radio station in the country.

"We accept the Astorino campaign's baffling decision and look forward to participating in the live televised debate both sides accepted, which will be broadcast statewide," said Wing.

At the roundtable at D'Addario, business leaders said they needed more coordination with schools to turn out better-trained workers for blue collar jobs. They also said they have struggled to attract younger workers, with the limited stock of apartments.

James D'Addario, the string maker's chief executive, said the company recently decided to open an office in Brooklyn, in part to help attract creative young workers.

"There's nothing cool about working out here, for them," D'Addario said.

In a statement later, D'Addario said he's proud to have been in business on Long Island since the 1970s. He said the company created work space in Brooklyn and Manhattan to offer "the best flexibility of hiring and retaining talent."