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Westchester official announces run against Cuomo

Republican Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino launched his campaign for governor Wednesday, and immediately attacked Democratic incumbent Andrew Cuomo over taxes, fracking and corruption in the state Legislature.

“I have a simple question for New Yorkers: As a state, are we winning or are we losing today?” Astorino said in a Web video announcement.

“Because if New York is winning, re-elect Andrew Cuomo. But if New York is losing — and the evidence says it is — we need to make a change.”

Astorino, 46, made it clear that Cuomo — considered a prohibitive favorite in the race — would be facing tough questions on the campaign trail as he runs for re-election this year.

“We have the highest taxes in the country. The worst business. The most corrupt government and the second-highest electric rates anywhere,” said Astorino.

“Like so many of you, I had hoped that Governor Cuomo would lead us back onto the winning path. But after four years, it’s clear he’s not leading at all . . . Meanwhile, New York is dying,” he added, referring to New Yorkers who are moving out of the state.

When a law that raised income taxes on wealthy residents was about to expire in 2011, Cuomo and state lawmakers passed a tax overhaul that kept rates nearly as high on the affluent, but lowered them for others.

Cuomo did approve a state cap that limits property-tax hikes.

Astorino also rapped Cuomo for delaying action on hydraulic fracturing for natural gas in the energy-rich Southern Tier near the Pennsylvania border.

Cuomo has said he’s waiting to see the results of a study he commissioned 18 months ago.

“We needed a decision on clean natural-gas exploration to lower electric rates, improve air quality, create tens of thousands of new jobs and billions in new revenue,” Astorino said. “But Governor Cuomo sat on his hands for four years and refused to make a decision.”

He also criticized the governor for allowing Sheldon Silver to remain speaker of the Democratic-run state Assembly, despite accusations of covering up sexual harassment.

“We needed a governor who would act when young women were sexually assaulted in Albany. Instead, he protected a political ally who used hundreds of thousands of our tax dollars to cover up the sex crimes,” Astorino said.

Responding for Cuomo, state Democratic Party spokesman Peter Kauffmann said, “We look forward to an entertaining Republican primary process and are ready to run against whomever their nominee is.”

Cuomo, who last month topped Astorino in a Siena College poll, 64 to 22 percent, is sitting on a $33 million war chest. Astornio reported having a $1 million campaign fund as of January.