A weekly COLUMN by NY State Senator Tom O’Mara,
Above all else this week, I hope this column will find you and your families, friends, and neighbors across the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions well and doing your best to have a memorable and meaningful holiday season.
Approaching the start of another new year in New York State government, our focus always turns to looking ahead to the debates that await the governor and legislators — traditionally difficult challenges on education, economic development, environmental conservation, fiscal practices, infrastructure, public safety and security, and other key areas of public policy.
In the earliest days of the upcoming 2026 legislative session, the spotlight will be on Governor Kathy Hochul as she begins setting the stage. Opening with her State of the State message to the Legislature on January 13th and continuing with the unveiling of her proposed 2025-2026 state budget shortly thereafter, Governor Hochul will spell out her priorities and the direction she intends to lead this state.
We are going to find out if the forces aligning behind a state government that continues to spend and tax beyond the means of New Yorkers to afford it will continue to win out in a state that clearly must rein in spending and reduce a tax and regulatory burden that’s already overwhelming for most state and local taxpayers.
I have said it many times before and I’ll repeat it approaching this new year: workers and families across the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions I represent, and statewide, are worried about making ends meet. They have seen this state become less safe, less affordable, less free, less economically competitive, less responsible, and far less hopeful for the future.
Will it be business as usual next year? Or will there be a redirection of priorities and resources to begin truly charting a course for a saner, more sensible, more sustainable state government? We’re about to find out.
These remain far from ordinary times. The start of 2026 arrives during what continues to be an incredibly long and hard road back to community and economic renewal in New York State. As always, this hoped-for revitalization will continue to hinge on strong regional teamwork in pursuit of the goals and priorities we share across the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes. The experience we have gained and the bonds we have cemented over the past several difficult, unexpected, unprecedented years will continue to serve us well in the new year. This teamwork will remain fundamental to our success. We need to keep pushing forward. We need to get more and more sectors of local economies moving again. We need to keep getting more and more workers back on the job.
More than anything, we need a state government that’s focused on addressing the right priorities.
I look forward to continuing my representation of the 58th Senate District comprised of all of Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga and Yates counties, and the eastern portion of Allegany County (the towns of Alfred, Almond, Amity, Andover, Birdsall, Burns, Grove, Independence, Scio, Ward, Wellsville, and Willing). It is one of New York’s geographically largest legislative districts. Nevertheless, the communities and citizens comprising the 58th District harbor common strengths and share fundamental goals. I look forward to working with all of you to be a strong voice in Albany – and especially to keep up the ongoing fight to secure our priorities for stronger and safer communities in a state government dominated by largely big city, downstate-oriented powers that be.
On the economic front of this ongoing battle to reclaim solid ground across our upstate region and within individual communities, we will need the Hochul administration and the all-Democrat legislative majorities in the state Senate and Assembly to better recognize that our regional revitalization can and must move forward with greater clarity, common sense, and fairness. Many of us here at home — government officials, law enforcement, business owners, taxpayers and workers and families alike – continue to believe this revitalization can and should be accomplished more effectively and rapidly.
There is enormous work facing us in 2026 to fix what’s broken and keep providing fundamental assistance. On the legislative front, we must continue to hear the voices of small business, farming, tourism, manufacturing, and other foundations of local economies. Moving forward, these ongoing discussions, on a bipartisan basis, will become increasingly critical. As I have said repeatedly, one way we stay together is by staying informed.
Finally, as we continue throughout the weeks ahead, a time of year that has traditionally had as its centerpiece a reflection on the year past, it always comes back to this: Thank You.
Thank you to everyone throughout the public and private sectors providing diligent public outreach and service. Because of these incredible and inspiring efforts, local citizens and communities have been able to persevere, stay together, remain hopeful, move forward, and keep planning for better days. Let’s all keep doing our part. These will remain the rays of hope at the beginning of the New Year, the silver lining of strength that always has and always will keep seeing us through.
