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George Pataki learned the values of hard work, family, and community while
growing up on his family's farm in the small town of Peekskill in New
York's Hudson River Valley. He and his brother worked the fields alongside
their parents and sold produce at a roadside stand. It was this experience
on the farm that formed George Pataki's core governing philosophy: a
strong belief in people, not bureaucracy; pursuit of smart ideas that
work; and the expansion of personal freedoms so that hardworking citizens
can enjoy the benefits of their hard work. In his own life, George Pataki
saw the American Dream become reality through the hard work and
determination of his family.
George Pataki has never forgotten sitting with his father, grandparents,
aunts, and uncles watching on television with great pride - then with
great sadness - as thousands of men, women, and children fought for
freedom in the streets of Budapest during the Hungarian Revolution of
1956. Their unrelenting commitment to freedom despite overwhelming odds
was a defining moment in the George Pataki's life, helping to shape his
deep faith in the human spirit and the ability of individuals to improve
the future for their families and their nation. Their love of freedom and
country inspires him to this day. And, the lessons of hard work that
George Pataki learned as a boy paid off when he earned academic
scholarships to attend Yale University and Columbia University School of
Law.
George Pataki's political career began when he returned to Peekskill to
start his own family on the same farmlands where he grew up.
Unfortunately, he discovered that the Peekskill of his youth was fading
away. Rather than move his family away from the community that they loved,
George Pataki resolved to take action. He decided to run for mayor and
fight to change his hometown for the better. In 1981, Republican George
Pataki defeated a Democratic incumbent to become the Mayor of Peekskill
and set out on a political career characterized by a dedication to
confronting problems with common sense, pragmatic solutions. George Pataki
arrived in the New York State Legislature in 1984, where he served for ten
years. In the spirit of President Ronald Reagan, he became a strong voice
for conservative values - fighting for budget reform, tax cuts, and safer
streets in a political environment dominated by the failed policies of
then-Governor Mario Cuomo, a liberal icon.
In 1994, New York State was plagued with skyrocketing taxes, runaway
spending, swelling welfare rolls, and ever-growing crime rates. New York
was among the most dangerous states in America and one out of every eleven
residents was on welfare. George Pataki decided that the time was right to
challenge Mario Cuomo and bring a new era of prosperity to New York State.
George Pataki was elected Governor of New York on November 8th, 1994,
defeating the 12-year incumbent Cuomo in a come-from-behind victory.
From his first day in office, Governor George E. Pataki committed himself
to making the streets safer, restoring New York's economy with
pro-business policies, and expanding freedom and opportunity for all New
Yorkers. New York State, once the undisputed leader in raising taxes,
became a national leader in cutting taxes. During his tenure, Governor
Pataki's tax cuts provided New Yorkers with over $140 billion in tax
relief. George Pataki fervently believes that cutting taxes creates jobs,
and that rewarding hard work and encouraging independence and opportunity
are the best ways to put people to work. His economic conservatism as
Governor resulted in the creation of approximately 700,000 new private
sector jobs in New York State. His strong commitment to tax relief,
combined with his pro-growth, pro-job economic policies, brought New
York's economy back from the brink of disaster.
In addition to economic crisis, George Pataki inherited a state that was
plagued with violent crime. As Governor, his tough approach to criminals
and common sense criminal justice reforms made New York's streets and
neighborhoods safer than they had been in a generation. New York State led
the nation in reducing violent crime and was the safest large state in
America when he left office.
On September 11th, 2001, New York suffered the greatest attack on American
soil in our nation's history. Thousands of innocent citizens lost their
lives, and thousands upon thousands more were affected by the devastating
aftermath of the attacks. Governor Pataki provided critical leadership
immediately after the terrorist attacks, coordinating city, state, and
federal resources for rescue and recovery operations in Lower Manhattan
while reassuring people across the country that the Empire State and the
United States would recover and rise to new heights. In the months and
years following September 11th, Governor Pataki was the primary architect
of an unprecedented effort to rebuild and revitalize Lower Manhattan.
Strong and sensible pro-business policies allowed New York's economy to
recover quickly from the attacks. Today, with construction underway on the
future 1,776-foot Freedom Tower, Lower Manhattan is stronger than it has
ever been. George Pataki believes that the single most important priority
for America is keeping our people safe from future terrorist attacks. As
Governor, he passed some of the earliest and toughest anti-terror laws in
the nation.
Governor Pataki and his wife Libby reside in Garrison in New York's Hudson
River Valley. They have four children: Emily, a Yale Law School graduate;
Teddy, who serves in the United States Marine Corps; Allison, a student at
Yale University; and Owen, a student at Cornell University.
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