Winner'08 News
Corning, N.Y., October 19--The Leader, one of the region's leading daily newspapers, endorsed today State Senator George Winner (R-C-I, Elmira) for re-election in New York’s 53rd Senate District.
The Corning-based newspaper called Winner the "clear choice." Following is today's endorsement from The Leader:
THE ISSUE| The race for the 53rd Senate
District.
OUR OPINION | Sen. George Winner Jr. is the clear choice
–
based on his performance and views – to help the district
and the state.
If experience counts for anything – and we think that it does – then state Sen. George Winner Jr. has a decided advantage over his Democrat opponent, John Tonello.
So much so that The Leader unanimously endorses Winner to retain his seat in Albany.
Experience counts, and Winner has 30 years in state government, with 26 years as an assemblyman before being elected to the Senate in 2004.
But accomplishments and a vision for the future mean even more, which provides even more reason to back the incumbent Republican.
As chairman of the Legislative Commission on the Development of Rural Resources, Winner has been an advocate for upstate development. He’s helped bring jobs to the area by securing state money for training and development. Winner also believes the Empire Zone program – the state’s business recruiting and retention tool – should be tailored for rural areas. He’s also advocated partnering business and education and supporting the growing agribusiness sector.
Tonello’s plan for economic development centers mostly on attracting and promoting green businesses. While that’s important, that’s hardly enough to sustain a regional economy. In times like these, nearly all businesses should be welcome.
As for addressing the state’s financial problems, we feel Winner has the right approach. Closing a budget deficit of an estimated $8 billion won’t be easy and the governor and the legislature have already moved forward in doing that by making internal cuts to state government. But more is needed and reducing the bureaucracy through early retirement and attrition is the right move.
Winner is against raising taxes but seeks more revenue by collecting sales taxes at Indian Reservations and more from the video lottery terminals.
Tonello also agrees there should be a hiring freeze, but supports cutting education funding. While we agree that the education budget might be bloated, trimming funding at the state level would result in shifting costs to the local districts and significantly raising school taxes. Until the entire education system is overhauled, its role as a funding source should not be diminished.
As for helping taxpayers, Winner has been a supporter of the STAR program and favors capping school budgets at 4 percent. Tonello does not support capping local school budgets.
Along with other Senate Republicans, Winner has also called for a constitutionally mandated cap on state spending and proposes comprehensive state spending reforms.
Tonello has preached about reforming Albany, mostly in ways that make it more transparent and accountable. He also rightly feels the level of partisanship has created a legacy of gridlock at the state level.
But we feel that is lessening based on what appears to be a healthy relationship between the governor’s office and the legislature. Winner has been part of that and has praised Gov. David Paterson for the way he has addressed the financial crisis in a bipartisan manner.
Tonello has done a good job leading the city of Elmira out of the red as mayor and, at age 41, has a bright political future ahead.
But Winner is the clear choice in this Senate race to return to Albany for another term.
Winner's 53rd District is comprised of Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, and Yates counties, and a portion of Tompkins County (the city and town of Ithaca, and the towns of Enfield, Newfield, and Ulysses).
Winner was first elected to the State Senate in 2004 and re-elected in 2006.
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