Winner Preparing To Begin A Districtwide Round Of Community Meetings

Elmira, N.Y.-- State Senator George H. Winner, Jr. (R-C, Elmira) today announced that during the month of September he will conduct 64 "community meetings," one in every town he represents, to give residents of the 53rd Senate District an opportunity to directly share their concerns and opinions with their elected state representatives.

Winner will be joined at many of the meetings by area state assemblymen Jim Bacalles (R-C, Corning) and Tom O’Mara (R-C, Horseheads).

"The best ideas often come from individuals at the grassroots level -- residents, small businesspeople, local government officials. So I hope my constituents will take advantage of these opportunities to contribute to the debates over taxes, economic development, health care, budget reform, Medicaid reform and the other vital issues of the day," said Winner, who encouraged residents unable to attend any of the September meetings to still contact his office to share their concerns and suggestions for better government.

Winner’s series of community meetings, a key component of his constituent services program throughout his tenure in the state Legislature, will begin on Thursday, September 1, 2005, with meetings throughout Chemung County. The meetings are informal and open to the public. Winner’s 53rd District is comprised of Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben and Yates counties, and a portion of Tompkins County (the city of Ithaca, and the towns of Enfield, Ithaca, Newfield and Ulysses).

"Community meetings have been the foundation of my constituent services program. These meetings are one key way to monitor the concerns of my constituents," said Winner.

This year’s meetings will also provide a valuable opportunity to share information on two key issues coming before New York State’s voters this fall, according to Winner. One issue is a proposed Transportation Bond Act that Winner considers vital to the future development of the regional transportation infrastructure and, consequently, to future economic opportunities. The second issue facing voters in November is whether to approve an amendment to the state Constitution that would permanently reform New York State’s budget adoption process.

On September 1st, Winner will be joined by Assemblyman Tom O’Mara (R-C, Horseheads) at the following meetings throughout Chemung County:

> BIG FLATS TOWN HALL from 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.;

> CATLIN TOWN HALL from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.;

> VETERAN TOWN HALL from 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.;

> HORSEHEADS TOWN HALL from 12:00 Noon to 12:30 p.m.;

> ERIN TOWN HALL from 1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.;

> VAN ETTEN TOWN HALL from 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.;

> CHEMUNG TOWN HALL from 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.;

> BALDWIN TOWN HALL from 4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.; and

> ASHLAND TOWN HALL from 5:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.