Lazio, in Goshen, discusses his campaign platform

GOSHEN – Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Lazio hand lunch in Goshen Wednesday with a number of area public officials, after which he planned a sidewalk news conference.

But, that wasn’t smooth sailing as a handful of supporters of Carl Paladino, his GOP primary opponent, held up bright orange signs and shouted out, interrupting him and prompting local police to be called to the scene on West Main Street.

“I’ve had worse,” Lazio said, noting that in his mind, the only contest for governor this fall will be between Democrat Andrew Cuomo and himself, since he is the designated Republican and Conservative candidate for the state’s top job.

Lazio said if elected he will cut taxes whereas he said Cuomo would raise them. He also pledged to stop unfunded mandates.

“We need to have more jobs and we need to have a government that we can trust once again,” he said, over the screams of Paladino supporters. “What you hear back here is exactly what’s wrong with Albany, by the way; people who try to shout their way out and won’t enter into a reasonable debate and get things done.”

On the issue of the mosque at Ground Zero, Lazio said the issue is important, even to Hudson Valley residents and he said developers of the proposal should reveal its sources of funding.