Giuliani Campaign Press Release - Giuliani YouTube Debate Video Facts: "Ping Pong"

AD FACT:

VOICEOVER: "As Mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani faced unheard of challenges. Runaway taxes. Out of control crime."

BACKGROUND:

WHEN GIULIANI TOOK OFFICE, NEW YORKERS FACED HIGH TAXES

When Mayor Giuliani Took Office, The Tax Burden In New York City Was 8.73%. (U.S. Department Of Commerce Bureau Of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Information Systems, Downloadable Files Available At: http://www.bea.gov/regional/reis/CA1-3fn.cfm, Accessed 8/14/07; New York City Independent Budget Office, "City Revenue And Spending Since 1980," http://www.ibo.nyc.ny.us/, Accessed 11/11/07)

In 1993, New York City Was Losing Business To Other Cities Due To Being "The Highest-Taxed Destination In The Country." "A study commissioned by the Hotel Association of the City of New York and the New York State Hospitality and Tourism Association found that the city is the highest-taxed destination in the country, at $23.74 per night, compared with $7.67 in other major cities. As a result, hoteliers and tourism officials say, the city is losing business, some of it just across the Hudson to hotels in New Jersey." (Alan Wax, "Hoteliers Push For Repeal Of Occupancy Tax," Newsday, 5/24/93)

Professional Convention Management Association Organized A Boycott Of New York City Over High Hotel Taxes. "The [hotel] tax has annoyed various meeting planners to the extent that some are boycotting New York. The Birmingham, Ala.-based Professional Convention Management Association, a major organizer of medical association meetings, said it will no longer schedule events in New York and urged its 3,100 members to avoid the state until the tax is repealed." (Alan Wax, "Hoteliers Push For Repeal Of Occupancy Tax," Newsday, 5/24/93)

WHEN GIULIANI TOOK OFFICE, NEW YORK WAS CRIME CAPITAL OF AMERICA

When Mayor Giuliani Took Office, There Were 1,946 Murders In 1993 And 11,545 Major Crimes Per Week. ("1993 Index Of Crime By Metropolitan Statistical Area," 1993 FBI Uniform Crime Report, p. 139)

"[N]ew York City Is Reinforcing Its Reputation As The Crime Capital Of America. Every 44 Seconds A Crime Is Reported To The Police, Every Four Minutes A Car Is Stolen, Every Six Minutes There Is A Mugging, Every Three Hours There Is A Rape And Every Eight Hours A Murder" (Michelangelo Rucci, "Tales Of A Big, Rotten Apple," The Advertiser, 4/23/90)

Numerous Pundits And Reporters Described New York As Crime Capital Of America:

CNN's Bill Press In 1998: "New York Used To Be The Crime Capital Of The Nation …" (CNN's "Crossfire," 2/27/98)

"The Big Apple, Once Dubbed The Crime Capital Of America …" (Devlin Barrett, "Apple Again Safest Big City In U.S.," New York Post, 5/17/99)

"New York Was Transformed From The Crime Capital Of America …" (Mortimer B. Zuckerman, Op-Ed, "Rudy Runs The Rapids," U.S. News & World Report, 4/9/07)

"For As Long As Anyone Can Remember, New York City Has Been Known As A Crime Capital …" (Ellis Henican, "City Takes A Beating Over Attack," Newsday, 4/26/89)

"[N]ew York, Once The Crime Capital Of The US …" (Nicholas Wapshott, "Big Apple Eats Into Crime," The Australian, 1/2/03)

AD FACT:

MAYOR GIULIANI: "And of course the city's nemesis…King Kong."

BACKGROUND:

King Kong Has Been Attempting To Wreak Havoc In New York City Since 1933, Attacking The City On At Least Three Occasions. (Internet Movie Database, www.imdb.com, Accessed 11/26/07)

Giuliani Proposed "KongStat" To Track King Kong Sightings In New York City And To Better Prepare Response. Based on the NYPD's successful "CompStat" program, "KongStat" provided real-time reporting and computer mapping of King Kong sightings in New York City. By holding those responsible accountable for the reduction of King Kong attacks, Mayor Giuliani ensured that New York City was safe for all its 8 million residents, workers and tourists.

AD FACT:

MAYOR GIULIANI: "Yet, Rudy prevailed. Crime down by half."

BACKGROUND:

King Kong Never Attacked New York City During Mayor Giuliani's Term. (Internet Movie Database, www.imdb.com, Accessed 11/26/07)

Crime Dropped Dramatically Under Mayor Giuliani:

56% Drop In The FBI Crime Index Between 1993 And 2001, Far Outpacing 16% Decline In National Crime Index. (1993 FBI Uniform Crime Report; 2001 FBI Uniform Crime Report, www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm, Accessed 3/12/07)

66% Cut In Murder Rate; From 1,946 In 1993 To 649 In 2001. ("1993 Index Of Crime By Metropolitan Statistical Area," 1993 FBI Uniform Crime Report, p. 139; "2001 Index Of Crime By Metropolitan Statistical Area, 2001 FBI Uniform Crime Report, www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm, Accessed 3/12/07)

Over 70% Drop In Shootings. (City Of New York Office Of Operations, Reengineering Municipal Services 1994-2001, p. 16)

New York Saw A 45.7% Decline In Rapes, A 67.2% Decline In Robberies, A 39.6% Decline In Aggravated Assault, A 68.2% Decline In Burglary, A 43% Decline In Larceny, And A 73.3% Decline In Motor Vehicle Theft. (1993 FBI Uniform Crime Report; 2001 FBI Uniform Crime Report, www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm, Accessed 3/12/07)

New York Observer: "The Phenomenal Decline Under Mr. Giuliani Of Larger Crimes Such As Murder, Robbery And Rape Was Matched By A Reduction In Quality-Of-Life Offenses – Which In Turn Contributed To The Drop In Major Crime …" (Editorial, "Return Of The Squeegee?" New York Observer, 1/7/02)

FBI Statistics Established New York City As Safest Large City In America. "According to FBI statistics, New York is the safest large city in the nation. From July 1, 1996, through June 30, 1997, the graphs showed 44% fewer major felonies and 60% fewer murders." (John J. Goldman, "Giuliani's State Of Mind Goes From N.Y. To National," Los Angeles Times, 10/18/97)

"New York Ranked As The Safest Big City In The U.S. For The Fourth Straight Year As Crime Dropped Around The State And Nation, According To An FBI Report Released Yesterday." (K.C. Baker and Corky Siemaszko, "N.Y. Notches 4th Year As Safest Major City," Daily News, 5/17/99)

"Under Giuliani's Leadership, New York City Was Able To Turn Its Crime Infamy Into The FBI's Safest Large City In America For The Past Five Years." (Aaron Fried, Op-Ed, "Small Numbers Oppose Time's Person Of The Year," The [Syracuse] Post-Standard, 5/3/02)

The Daily News: "New York Is The Safest Big City In The Nation." (Editorial, "No Watchdog For NYPD," Daily News, 3/28/00)

AD FACT:

VOICEOVER: "Taxes cut."

BACKGROUND:

Giuliani Worked With New York City's Democratic City Council To Reduce Taxes 23 Times. Giuliani: "We wanted to reduce taxes and be able to accomplish some of that with the Democratic City Council, overwhelmingly Democratic. We ended up reducing taxes … 23 times successfully …" (Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Interview With WOKQ Radio's Don Brian, Portsmouth, NH, 3/12/07)

See Full List Of Giuliani's 23 Tax Cuts Here: http://www.joinrudy2008.com/article/pr/546

Giuliani Tax Cuts Saved Individuals And Businesses In New York Over $9 Billion. (City Of New York Executive Budget, Fiscal Year 1996; City Of New York Executive Budget, Fiscal Year 1997; City Of New York Executive Budget, Fiscal Year 1998; City Of New York Executive Budget, Fiscal Year 2002)

By End Of Giuliani's Term, New Yorkers' Tax Burden Was Reduced 17% – Its Lowest Level In Three Decades. (City Of New York Office Of Management And Budget, City Of New York Executive Budget Fiscal Year 2002 Budget Summary, pp. 8, 11)

AD FACT:

VOICEOVER: "And annual snowfall dramatically reduced."

BACKGROUND:

Mayor Giuliani "Republican Policies And Programs Worked" To Reduce Snow Fall In New York City. "[O]ne month into being mayor of New York City I woke up on February first, 1994. I had the radio on and the announcer on the radio said, Mayor Giuliani has been in office one month and the Mayor has already set a record and I thought, that's nice I wonder what it is. He said he set a record for the most snow fall in the last 40 years and then the reporter went on to say. There's going to be more snow fall in February. … And the first couple of years I got a lot of snow. But I want to report something to you. By the time I finished as mayor, there was almost no snow in the winters, Republican policies and programs worked to even reduce the snow." (Mayor Giuliani, Remarks At Lincoln Day Dinner, Des Moines, IA, 4/14/07)

Annual Snowfall Fell 51.7% Between Mayor Giuliani's First And Second Term. Snowfall averaged 35.975 inches a year in Mayor Giuliani's first term, and only 17.735 inches in Mayor Giuliani's second term. (National Weather Service Website, http://www.erh.noaa.gov/okx/climate/records/monthseasonsnowfall.html, Accessed 11/26/07)

AD FACT:

VOICEOVER: "Time called Rudy 'Person of the Year.'"

BACKGROUND:

Giuliani Was Named Time's "Person Of The Year" In 2001. "For leading that lesson, for having more faith in us than we had in ourselves, for being brave when required and rude where appropriate and tender without being trite, for not sleeping and not quitting and not shrinking from the pain all around him, Rudy Giuliani, Mayor of the World, is TIME's 2001 Person of the Year." (Nancy Gibbs, "Person Of The Year," Time, 12/31/01)

AD FACT:

VOICEOVER: "Newsweek…the New Mayor of America."

BACKGROUND:

Newsweek Called Giuliani "The New Mayor Of America." (Jonathan Alter, "Grit, Guts And Rudy Giuliani," Newsweek, 9/24/01)

AD FACT:

VOICEOVER: "And when asked, Hillary Clinton called him (censor beep). But she probably planted the question."

BACKGROUND:

"Democratic Presidential Frontrunner Hillary Clinton's Campaign Admitted … That It Planted A Global Warming Question In Newton, Iowa, Tuesday During A Town Hall Meeting To Discuss Clean Energy." (Major Garrett, "Clinton Campaign Confirms Planting Town Hall Question, Says It Won't Happen Again," FoxNews.com, 11/10/07)

Second Person Came Forward Saying He Was Asked To Ask Sen. Clinton A Planted Question. "Geoffrey Mitchell told NBC/NJ in a telephone interview that a Clinton campaign staffer approached him at an event in Fort Madison, Iowa, to suggest he ask a question about the senator standing up to President Bush on Iraq war funding at an event. … The Clinton campaign's Mo Elleithee said earlier in the day that Mitchell and the staffer, Chris Hayler, were acquaintances. … Mitchell disputes Elleithee's account. 'That is incorrect,' Mitchell said. 'I did not know him. I met him that day.'" (Athena Jones, "Second Clinton Plant," MSNBC.com, 11/10/07)