Assemblyman reacts to Hochul’s “State of the State”
From the Office of Assemblyman Joe Sempolinski,
Assemblyman Joe Sempolinski criticized Gov. Hochul for ignoring the expired gaming compact between the Seneca Nation and New York State in her State of the State address.
“Negotiating a new gaming compact with the Seneca Nation is critical for the WNY economy,” Assemblyman Sempolinski said. “Seneca Gaming and Entertainment generates more than $2 billion in economic activity for the region and the Seneca Nation employs more than 4,000 people, most of them non-native. A new gaming compact is essential to the economic well-being of the 148th District and all of Western New York.”
The original gaming compact between the Seneca Nation and New York State expired in December of 2023. The Seneca Nation and state have signed a series of extensions to keep operations running while negotiations continue. Local municipalities depend on fees supported by the agreement to fund essential services like police and fire protection.
“It’s beyond time for the Governor to sit down with Seneca Nation President J.C. Seneca and negotiate a fair and equitable gaming compact that protects the interests of the Seneca Nation and New York State,” Assemblyman Sempolinski said.
Assemblyman Sempolinski also noted that while the governor talked about making life more affordable for New Yorkers, she didn’t explain how she would do that while at the same time paying for the new programs she outlined during her speech.
“New Yorkers suffer under one of the highest tax burdens in the country and its driving people out of New York to lower-cost states,” Assemblyman Sempolinski said. “The best way to address the high cost of living is to get government out of the way, cut spending and lower taxes. I didn’t hear anything from the governor to make me believe she’s serious about cutting spending and making life more affordable for New York’s taxpayers.”
The state budget has ballooned from $177 billion in 2021, when Gov. Hochul became governor, to $254.3 billion now.
“We have a serious spending problem in New York that the governor seems incapable of addressing. The state budget is more than a quarter of a trillion dollars. That’s irresponsible and indefensible. New York has no future as the tax and spending capital of America,” Assemblyman Sempolinski said.
Assemblyman Joe Sempolinski represents the 148th New York Assembly District, which consists of all of Cattaraugus and Allegany counties and portions of Steuben County. For more information, visit Assemblyman Sempolinski’s website.
