FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TODAY: 8/17/10

Contact: Suzanne Redmond (315) 255-3045

 

 

 

ASSEMBLYMAN FINCH ANNOUNCES EXAM FOR

 

PROSPECTIVE CORRECTIONS OFFICERS

 

 

         Assemblyman Gary D. Finch (R,C,I - Springport) is joining with the New York State Department of Correctional Services in an effort to recruit new Corrections Officers.

 

            Interested parties must file their application by September 13, 2010, and a Civil Service exam will be held on October 16, 2010.

 

            "The brave Corrections Officers of New York provide an invaluable service to New Yorkers, protecting communities and keep prisons safe," said Finch.  "I want to encourage all of those who are looking for a new job to consider a career as a Corrections Officer."

 

            Salaries start at $36,420 per year.  After six months, the salary increases to $38,310 and after successful completion of the one-year correction officer traineeship, the salary increases to $43,867 per year.

 

            For more information, contact Daniel F. Martuscello III, Director of Human Resources, at (518) 457-9887.  Examination announcements and application forms are available and can be downloaded at www.cs.state.ny.us/exams.  Additional information about the position of correction officer is also available at www.docs.state.ny.us.

 

            The New York State Department of Correctional Services is a nondiscriminatory employer, and all are strongly encouraged to apply.

 

            For more information, contact Finch's office at 315-255-3045. 

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TODAY: 7/28/10

Contact: Suzanne Redmond (315) 255-3045

 

***REVISED***

MEDIA ADVISORY

FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 2010

  

OWEGO "PEOPLE'S CONVENTION TO REFORM NEW YORK"

TOWN HALL MEETING POSTPONED

 

The "People's Convention to Reform New York" Town Hall meeting

scheduled for July 28 at the Edward Hubbard Auditorium

in the Tioga County Office Building in Owego

has been postponed due to Assembly special session in Albany.

 

     Assembly Republican Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,I,C-Canandaigua) and Assemblyman Gary D. Finch (R,C,I-Springport) will now hold a Town Hall meeting on Tuesday, August 24^th, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the Edward Hubbard Auditorium in the Tioga County Office Building to discuss their support for a "People's Convention to Reform New York," and how it could deliver the positive change New Yorkers are demanding.

                

WHO:               Assembly Republican Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,I,C-Canandaigua)

                             Assemblyman Gary D. Finch (R,C,I-Springport)                    

WHEN:               *NEW DATE* - Tuesday, August 24^th

                            7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

WHERE:             Tioga County Office Building, Edward Hubbard Auditorium

                             56 Main Street, Owego 

CONTACT:         Kathleen Lisson, (518) 455-3751, (518) 330-4124

                             lissonk@assembly.state.ny.us  

                             -30-

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TODAY: 7/20/10

Contact: Suzanne Redmond (315) 255-3045

 

Assemblyman Gary Finch to Host Town Hall Meeting

Invites members of the 123^rd District to attend 

          Assemblyman Gary D. Finch (R,C,I – Springport) will be holding a Town Hall meeting on Wednesday, July 28 from 7 – 8:30 pm at the Tioga County Office Building in Owego.  The purpose of the meeting is to update residents on the 2010-2011 State Budget and the People’s Convention to Reform New York.

          “This year’s mess of a session, along with the fact that the Senate still has not passed their portion of the budget showcases just how badly we need true, sweeping change in New York,” said Finch.  “A People’s Convention will give New Yorkers a chance to make their voices heard by allowing them to make the very changes that they’ve been begging for over the years.  I want to encourage all members of the community to join me in discussing this crucial matter.”

Assemblyman Gary D. Finch
Town Hall Meeting 

Wednesday, July 28, 2010
7:00 to 8:30 P.M. 

Edward Hubbard Auditorium

Tioga County Office Building

56 Main Street, Owego, NY

 

All members of the public are invited and encouraged to attend.  For more information, please contact Assemblyman Finch’s office by calling (315) 255-3045.

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Mike Avella Jr.

Press Coordinator

New York State Assembly

518-455-5981 / 518-455-5057 (fax)

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TODAY: 7/1/10

Contact: Suzanne Redmond (315) 255-3045

 

 

BUDGET ODYSSEY CLOSE TO UNFORTUNATE CONCLUSION

 

Assembly passes remainder of budget, Senate vote up in the air

 

 

         While it is well known that Albany politics epitomizes dysfunction at its lowest level, this year's budget fiasco has symbolized something much greater - a deep and urgent need for significant change in our state's leadership structure and the ways in which state government operates. 

 

         Irresponsible budgeting throughout past years has created a massive budget shortfall and mortgaging our state's future in order to spend outrageous sums of money has put us in a precarious position.  As such, negotiations stretching out over months have operated at a snail's pace, behind closed doors.

 

         At this point, state leaders must make difficult choices.  Overspending must be brought to a halt and fiscal responsibility must take the place of the majority's culture of spending and passing the buck onto taxpayers.

However, none of that has been possible with each side pulling in a different direction.  Even a semblance of cooperation between the two houses of the legislature and the Executive would be a breath of fresh air.

 

         This year's budget has finally passed the Assembly, albeit over three months late.  However, instead of taking heed of the ideas that my colleagues and I have championed, including the consolidation of state agencies, elimination of unnecessary mandates, rooting out Medicaid fraud, and the collection of taxes on Native American cigarettes among many others, members of the Democratic majority have instead chosen to raise taxes in order to fund their spending habit.

 

         In addition, Senate Majority Leader John Sampson has chosen to send his members home to enjoy the 4th of July holiday while ignoring the fact that they still have not finished passing the budget.  It is this kind of irresponsibility that has created the mess that we are in.

 

         In order to solve our budget woes, we should have focused on a long-term solution.  Cut spending and create incentives to bolster business in our state.  Expanding the tax base by increasing business revenue would help to drive tax revenue and avoid similar budget shortfalls in the future.

 

         For far too long, New Yorkers have suffered because of this tax-and-spend culture.  I hope that legislative leaders can use this year as an example of what not to do in the future, because we cannot maintain our state if we continue down this path.

 

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Mike Avella Jr.

Press Coordinator

New York State Assembly

518-455-5981 / 518-455-5057 (fax)

 

68f39

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TODAY: 6/22/10

Contact: Suzanne Redmond (315) 255-3045

 

Statement by Assemblyman Gary D. Finch (R,C,I - Springport)

 

 

POLITICAL GAMES LEAD TO INCREASED TAXES,

 

WATERED-DOWN NATIVE AMERICAN TAX COLLECTION

 

 

 

            To raise taxes during an economic recession is counterproductive.  Not only does this week's budget extender contain $300 million in increased taxes, but because of political games it also included a watered down version of a very necessary piece of legislation to collect taxes on products sold on Native American lands to non-Native Americans.

         This bill will enforce the collection of taxes on cigarettes sold to non-Native Americans, but fails to tax the numerous other products sold in their stores.

 

            Lumping this provision in with a budget extender was another example of what goes on here in Albany.  Let the Native American sales tax be brought up in a single bill that legislates what my colleagues and I have long advocated for and I will support it.  To bundle the taxes together in a take it or leave it option is simply not acceptable.

 

 

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Mike Avella Jr.

Press Coordinator

New York State Assembly

518-455-5981 / 518-455-5057 (fax)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TODAY:  6/18/10

Contact: Suzanne Redmond (315) 255-3045

 

 

 

SECRETLY CRAFTED BUDGET WILL DESTROY NEW YORK ECONOMY

 

 

            Assemblyman Gary D. Finch (R,C,I - Springport) today said that the budget bills passed by the Legislature would be harmful to New York's economic rehabilitation efforts and would leave a large portion of the budget deficit remaining with the majority of the budget already passed.

 

            "Replacing a $650 million economic development program with one costing $250 million not only makes no sense, but it's the wrong approach to our dilemma.  We should be working to expand the tax base, creating more jobs and attracting business, not cutting incentives for businesses.  New York's unemployment numbers are already far too high and severely cutting a program designed to create jobs is not prudent."

  

            "Just how are we going to close the rest of the budget gap without borrowing?  Members on the other side of the aisle were explicitly unable to guarantee that we wouldn't borrow to close the gap, and with such a large portion of the deficit left with most of the budget already passed, just how are we going to cut the remaining four-plus billion dollars?  This is why budget reforms were passed in 2007, and further exemplifies the need for substantial reform."

 

 

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Mike Avella Jr.

Press Coordinator

New York State Assembly

518-455-5981 / 518-455-5057 (fax)

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TODAY:  6/10/10

Contact: Suzanne Redmond (315) 255-3045

 

 

Assemblyman Gary Finch to Host Town Hall Meeting

 

Invites members of the 123rd District to attend

  

 

          Assemblyman Gary D. Finch (R,C,I - Springport) will be holding a Town Hall meeting on Thursday, June 17 from 7 - 8:30 pm at the Tioga County Office Building in Owego.  The purpose of the meeting is to update residents on the 2010-2011 State Budget and the People's Convention to Reform New York.

 

          "New York state government is stuck in a rut of ineffectiveness and poor leadership and it's time for the people to have their say," said Finch.  "A People's Convention will provide New Yorkers with the opportunity to effect the very change that they've been wanting for years.  I encourage members of the community to come and bring with them any questions or issues they may have."

 

 

Assemblyman Gary D. Finch

Town Hall Meeting

 

Thursday, June 17, 2010

7:00 to 8:30 P.M.

 

Edward Hubbard Auditorium

 

Tioga County Office Building

 

56 Main Street, Owego, NY

 

 

          All members of the public are invited and encouraged to attend.  For more information, please contact Assemblyman Finch's office by calling (315) 255-3045.

 

 

 

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Mike Avella Jr.

Press Coordinator

New York State Assembly

518-455-5981 / 518-455-5057 (fax)

FINCH ENCOURAGES STUDENT LITERACY WITH  SUMMER READING PROGRAM              

          Assemblyman Gary D. Finch (R,C,I - Springport) is encouraging students in his district to keep up with their reading this summer with the 2010 NewYork State Summer Reading Program "Make a Splash-Read"             

          "Keeping up with reading throughout the summer months is both a fun way to spend your time and a great way to keep your brain working," said Finch.  "Summertime should be relaxing, but one should never stop learning."              

         Evidence has shown that children who stop reading over the summer tend to fall behind upon returning to school in September.  In order to prevent this, Finch urges children and their parents to take advantage of this reading program.  Children who participate benefit from the support, structure and educational incentives that public library summer reading programs provide.              

         Last year, 1.5 million youngsters took part in Summer Reading at New York Libraries.  Assemblyman Finch hopes that even more children will be reading for fun during the summer of 2010.        

          Contact your local public library to register. To find your local library, visit www.summerreadingnys.org.  

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Mike Avella Jr.
Press Coordinator
New York State Assembly
518-455-5981 / 518-455-5057 (fax)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TODAY: 5/28/10
Contact: Suzanne Redmond (315) 255-3045
Legislative Column by Assemblyman Gary D. Finch (R,C,I - Springport)

 

FINCH: PARKS BILL AMOUNTS TO HIGHER TAXES AND FEES FOR TAXPAYERS AND BUSINESSES

 

Mike Avella Jr.

Press Coordinator

New York State Assembly

518-455-5981 / 518-455-5057 (fax)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TODAY: 5/21/10
Contact: Suzanne Redmond (315) 255-3045
Legislative Column by Assemblyman Gary D. Finch (R,C,I - Springport)

 

 

FINCH: DYSFUNCTIONAL FARCE OF ALBANY POLITICS TRUDGES ON

 

 

 

          Earlier this week, legislative leaders held a public meeting with Governor Paterson to discuss the state of New York's economy and the prospect of a balanced budget.  The only thing that I feel can be taken away from that meeting is that we are no closer to passing a budget than we were almost two months ago, when it was due.

 

          Three years ago, we passed the Budget Reform Act of 2007, which explicitly requires the Legislature to hold open budget meetings.  Sections 15 - 17 of the Budget Reform Act, Bill A. 2755, contains a provision that requires the Legislature, within 10 days of the submission of the executive budget, to establish a schedule for joint budget conference committees.  So far, no such schedule has been released.

 

          At this week's leaders' meeting, Speaker Silver refused to set a date for budget committee meetings, citing a lack of a fiscal plan.  My conference members and I have submitted a comprehensive plan to save New York taxpayers money and work to balance the budget, all without raising taxes.  However, because of secretive, backroom dealings, those on the other side of the aisle refuse to bring negotiations out into the public.

 

          Increased public scrutiny is exactly what we need to get the process moving.

Without any sort of fiscal plan for our state, jobs are being lost and localities have no way to plan for their futures.  Rampant dysfunction has plagued our state for too long.  In 2007, we made strides toward reforming the budget process, but now the majority conferences of our Legislature are flouting the law by refusing to follow those very reforms.

 

          It is time that New York state government returns to its original purpose - working for the people of our state.  Instead of bowing to special interests and working to secure their political futures, state leaders must do what is right by bringing budget negotiations out into the public eye.

 

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Mike Avella Jr.

Press Coordinator

New York State Assembly

518-455-5981 / 518-455-5057 (fax)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TODAY: 5/12/10

Contact: Suzanne Redmond (315) 255-3045

Statement by Assemblyman Gary D. Finch (R,C,I - Springport)

 

 

GOV PLAYS FAVORITES WITH PAY RAISES

 

 

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Mike Avella Jr.

Press Coordinator

New York State Assembly

518-455-5981 / 518-455-5057 (fax)