Press Releases

Area State Reps Criticize Cuomo Administration: Closing Monterey Wrong Decision

Albany, N.Y., March 31—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C-Big Flats), Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C,I-Corning) and Assemblyman Chris Friend (R-Big Flats) today criticized Governor Andrew Cuomo for refusing to renegotiate his administration’s plan to...

Friend: Rushed Almost-On-Time Budget Misses Mark

Assemblyman Christopher S. Friend (R,C,I-Big Flats) said today that while he is pleased to see the governor and legislature come to an agreement and pass the 2014-15 State Budget, the secretive, closed-door meetings and lack of relief for upstate taxpayers...

Assemblyman Friend, Congressman Reed To Hold Office Hours In Waverly

Assemblyman Christopher S. Friend (R,C,I-Big Flats) will hold local office hours on the second Wednesday of each month from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Waverly Village Hall, 32 Ithaca Street. Friend’s staff will be available to discuss any state-related...

Area State Reps Reject Cuomo’s ‘Free College For Prisoners’ Proposal, Again Call For Saving Monterey

Elmira, N.Y., February 18— State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C-Big Flats), Assemblyman Chris Friend (R-Big Flats) and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C,I-Corning) today rejected Governor Andrew Cuomo’s plan to provide a free college education to state prisoners...

Assemblyman Chris Friend's Local Office Hours in Waverly

Assemblymembers Palmesano, Friend To Host Common Core Standards Forum In Corning

Assemblymen Phil Palmesano (R,C,I-Corning) and Christopher S. Friend (R,C,I-Big Flats) will join education leaders at a forum on Thursday, December 5, 2013 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Corning East High School Cafeteria in Corning. Participants will include...

Assemblyman Friend To Hold Town Hall Meeting In Waverly

Assemblyman Christopher S. Friend (R,C,I-Big Flats) will hold a town hall meeting at the Waverly Village Hall on Wednesday, October 30 at 7:00 p.m. The public is invited to attend and discuss their concerns with the assemblyman. “I hope that local...

O’Mara, Palmesano, Friend Urge Support For ‘Keep Monterey Open!’ Online Petition

Elmira, N.Y., September 5—In late July the administration of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo unveiled a plan to shut down the Monterey Shock Incarceration Correctional Facility in Schuyler County next year, and now State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C-Big...

Area State Legislators Encourage Local Libraries To Take Advantage Of Grant Opportunity

Elmira, N.Y., August 15—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C-Big Flats), Assemblyman Chris Friend (R,C,I-Big Flats) and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C,I-Corning) are sending an alert to local public libraries and public library systems of a construction...

Friend And Palmesano Call On Public To Sign Senator O’Mara’s Online Petition To Save Elmira Psychiatric Center

Assemblymen Christopher S. Friend (R,C,I-Big Flats) and Phil Palmesano (R,C,I-Corning) are joining an effort launched by State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C-Big Flats) to save the Elmira Psychiatric Center (EPC). Last week, the Office of Mental Health (OMH)...

Friend And Palmesano Join Fight To End Corruption With The Public Officers Accountability Act

Assemblymen Christopher Friend (R,C,I-Big Flats) and Phil Palmesano (R,C,I-Corning) have joined with the entirety of the Assembly Minority Conference to combat Albany’s rampant corruption through the newly introduced Assembly bill 7393, also known as...

Friend: Taxpayer-Financed Campaigns Are Not The Answer To State Corruption

Assemblyman Christopher S. Friend (R,C,I-Big Flats) today voiced his disappointment with the passage of the so-called Fair Elections Act, a plan to mandate publicly-funded election campaigns at taxpayer expense, a new added tax burden for everyone in...

Friend: Further Budget Negotiations Still Needed

Assemblyman Christopher S. Friend (R, C, I -Big Flats) acknowledged that, although the Assembly Majority budget proposal contains some improvements over the Governor’s original draft, more work and negotiations are needed before an acceptable budget...

Albany Lacks Transparency Once Again

After yesterday’s prolonged debate on gun control legislation, Assemblyman Christopher S. Friend (R-Big Flats) expressed frustration at the return to Albany’s rushed backroom, late night deals and a lack of transparency in the way the legislature...

Friend: We Must Lower Taxes, Eliminate Unfunded Mandates Placed On New Yorkers

In response to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State address, Assemblyman Christopher S. Friend (R,C,I-Big Flats) today highlighted New York’s need to reduce taxes on the middle class and pass real county and school unfunded mandate relief during...

Assemblyman Friend To Hold Town Hall Meeting In Berkshire, NY

New York State Assemblyman Chris Friend will hold a town hall meeting Thursday, November 29 in Berkshire, Tioga County. “The State Legislature may be in recess, but the fight to get government out of the way of job creators, cut government spending...

Local Public Libraries Awarded State Grants

Albany, N.Y., May 7—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R-C, Big Flats), Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R-C-I, Corning) and Assemblyman Christopher Friend (R, Big Flats) announced today that public libraries throughout Chemung and Steuben counties have been awarded...

Friend: Budget Process An Improvement, But More Work Still Needed To Stimulate Growth And Ease Mandates

Assemblyman Chris Friend (R-Big Flats) was pleased by the positive turn taken in the successful passage of an early state budget. The late-night deal-making and closed-door sessions so typical of Albany politics were avoided in this year’s transparent...

Majority’s Budget Fails On Major Issues

The one-house budget resolution put forth by the Assembly majority contains several provisions which would enhance the quality of life for our residents and New Yorkers in general. However, their proposal is, in general, a failure on nearly every issue...

Friend And Palmesano Urge Attendance At Sportsmen And Outdoor Recreation Legislative Awareness Day

Assemblymen Chris Friend (R – Big Flats) and Phil Palmesano (R, C, I – Corning) would like to encourage area hunters and outdoorsmen to attend the third annual Sportsmen and Outdoor Recreation Legislative Awareness Day, to be held in the Legislative...