Winner'O8 News
Elmira, N.Y., June 26--New York State Senator George Winner (R-C-I, Elmira) announced today his bid for re-election to a third consecutive term representing the residents of the state’s 53rd Senate District.
Winner’s 53rd District encompasses all of Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, and Yates counties, and a part of Tompkins County (the city and town of Ithaca, and the towns of Enfield, Newfield, and Ulysses).
"This region’s voters first sent me to the state Senate four short years ago. I’m proud that we’ve worked and fought together to improve the Southern Tier-Finger Lakes region in the face of tough times and fierce competition," said Winner, who was elected to the Senate in 2004. "But the work ahead of us promises to be harder than ever before. I’m asking for your support to carry on and finish what we’ve started."
He said that his legislative priorities will remain focused on lower the state and local tax burden, revitalizing the upstate economy, strengthening local communities, and attracting and retaining businesses throughout the Southern Tier-Finger Lakes region.
He currently serves as chairman of a leading Senate committee, the Committee on Investigations and Government Operations, and as a member on several other key committees. Winner is also the chairman of the Legislature’s joint, bipartisan Commission on Rural Resources and has emerged as a leading advocate for rural New York.
Winner launched his re-election bid earlier today with an announcement speech before supporters in Elmira. He focused on his achievements in the Senate, his efforts to enhance communities across the region, and his strong desire to continue "the long, hard work of fighting for lower taxes, better jobs, and safer communities."
Since taking office in January 2005, Winner has reached out to legislative colleagues in both major political parties to secure the enactment of numerous new, often landmark laws in the areas of economic development, criminal justice, and rural affairs.
These new laws have included the implementation of the state’s first comprehensive strategy to combat the illegal production and use of methamphetamine; authorizing the direct shipment of wine into and out of New York State; ethics and lobbying law reforms; regulatory reform for the state’s agricultural industry; encouraging the use of alternative energy sources, particularly fuel cell technology; the promotion of local shared services and other local efficiency initiatives to help reduce local property taxes; and the development of high-speed Internet access to underserved rural regions along with additional efforts aimed at rural economic development.
"It’s a record of achievement that I’m proud of and that has helped produce a stronger and safer region, and a better New York," said Winner.
He cited partnerships with mayors, town supervisors, county executives, business leaders, and concerned citizens throughout the region to advance worthwhile community initiatives. These state-local partnerships, Winner said, have created jobs and provided badly need worker training programs, strengthened area schools and enhanced the environment, and improved local roads and bridges.
Winner said, "We’ve worked hard to identify our region’s common goals, to build on our strengths, and to develop strategies to shore up our weaknesses. We’ve established valuable, productive state-local partnerships to keep this region moving forward."
Winner stressed that his proudest achievements, however, have come through the dialogue he has fostered with the region’s residents through annual public forums on the state budget, hundreds of community meetings, and thousands of e-mails, letters, and phone calls.
"This region’s greatest strength is that our people never give up," said Winner. "I’ve been proudest of all to work alongside so many of you to weather tough times, to begin to build stronger and safer communities, and to fight for more effective government."
Echoing what he said has become a political buzzword for candidates across America and New York State during the 2008 election cycle, Winner said that change can’t be achieved simply through the words of a campaign speech or on a political banner or Web site.
"Change in New York government is all about long, hard work," said Winner. "It’s about not giving up. It requires you to keep coming back. It means you keep returning year after year, legislative session after legislative session, committee meeting after committee meeting, floor debate after floor debate to stand on your principles, to shout out your fundamental beliefs, and to fight for your constituents.
"New York State government doesn’t just welcome you with open arms. It’s a hard-fought competition for ideas and resources. You have to roll up your sleeves and pull achievements and changes out of the trenches.
"Bringing about change in New York government is about a proven ability, a proven commitment, and proven determination to never give up. That’s what the people of this region have shown me over the four short years that I’ve been privileged to serve them in the New York State Senate. I’ll keep doing my best to represent this fighting spirit because we’re going to need it more than ever before in the years ahead.
"We’re facing rising costs for everything under the sun, fierce global competition for our jobs, and a rapidly changing culture and economy. We’re going to need a constant, steady, proven determination to stay the course of what we value, how we work, and what we hope for our families."
Through the coming election season Winner’s campaign Web site, GeorgeWinner08.com, will provide breaking news, campaign event information, and access to the candidate.
Voters can also utilize www.senatorwinner.com for updates on Winner’s ongoing work in the state Senate, information on a variety of state government programs and services, and to share suggestions and opinions.
-30-