Oct. 22, 2008

Assemblywoman Lifton endorses Tonello for Senate

Calling him "a true champion of the middle class," Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton (D-125th) endorsed John Tonello of Elmira in his run for the 53rd District State Senate seat.

"Mayor Tonello is a proud upstater who graduated from Corning-Painted Post West High School and worked his way through Corning Community College and Syracuse University," Lifton said. "With the journalism degree he received there, he went to work on upstate newspapers from the Syracuse Post-Standard to the Elmira Star-Gazette. From covering city government, he went on to lead it, running successfully for mayor of Elmira in 2005.

"I am so impressed by John's turnaround of Elmira's finances," she said. "By reorganizing, demanding efficiency, and refusing to continue the city's pattern of deficit spending, he turned a large deficit into a surplus in less than two years. And while 'reaching across the aisle' has become something of a cliche, John has really done it in Elmira, and with admirable results."

Lifton, a champion of Upstate New York since first being elected in 2002, recognized Tonello's commitment to issues important to Tompkins County residents.

"John supports health-care reform, green technologies, and protection of farmlands -- three issues that are close to my heart," Lifton said. "He understands Central New Yorkers' concerns, because he is truly one of us. It is with great pleasure and absolute conviction that I endorse John Tonello for New York State Senate."

Tonello said, "I'm honored to receive Barbara's endorsement. She's a trusted voice in Albany, and I hope to work alongside her there to reform state government and do what she has always done: put people first."

The 53rd State Senate district includes all of Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben and Yates counties, and the four western towns of Tompkins County, including Enfield, Ithaca, Newfield, and Ulysses.