Assemblyman Joseph M. Giglio, R-C-I-Gowanda, is running for re-election in the new 148th Assembly District, which encompasses all of Cattaraugus and Allegany counties and the towns of Greenwood, Jasper, Troupsburg and West Union in Steuben County.
The 148th Assembly District will have 65 towns, 19 villages, two cities and most of the population of the Seneca Nation of Indians.
"Representing the Southern Tier and Western New York in the State Assembly has been an honor. I'm hopeful that I will be fortunate enough again this year to earn the faith and trust of the voters who have sent me to Albany. I've always considered myself to be a delegate legislator; I go to Albany to represent the residents of the district in a manner that they feel I should," Giglio said.
First elected in a 2005 special election, Giglio was re-elected in 2006, 2008 and 2010 with more than 60 percent of the vote in each election. Prior to serving in the Assembly, Giglio was a state deputy inspector general in charge of the Western New York Office. As an inspector general, Giglio investigated fraud, waste and abuse by employees of various state agencies and those who may have done business with the state. Giglio's time in law enforcement has earned him a role on the Assembly's Ethics and Guidance and Corrections committees. He also serves on the Codes, Aging, and Children and Families committees.
"I want the voters to know that I work every day to bring an independent approach to the state Assembly, and I have always represented the diverse views of the residents," Giglio said. "The last several years have been very difficult economic times for taxpayers and businesses in the state of New York, and I have worked very hard to change that economic climate. I will continue to promote and support policies that will hold the line on spending, streamline bureaucratic and burdensome regulations for our taxpayers and businesses, fight for mandate relief for local governments and school districts, and continue to advocate for efficiencies and cost saving measures in the Medicaid program, which is one of the most expensive in the Country. I believe that my record is clear ... I've resisted the status quo and have been calling for reform from the top down."
Giglio said one of his most important priorities is Assembly rules reform. The system is out of control, he said, and needs to be reformed. The rules of the Assembly chamber and the method in which the Assembly is run is undemocratic. Too much legislative power is concentrated in the position of speaker. Rank and file members from both sides of the aisle have very little input on the process and on the legislation that reaches the Assembly for a vote. Changes are necessary to bring fairness to the legislative process which will benefit all state residents.
Giglio is a member of the Governor's Medicaid Redesign Team. For the past two years, the team has been dedicated to reviewing the Medicaid system from top to bottom and working to secure savings in the program. Many of the Medicaid Redesign Team's proposals have been enacted as part of the state budget. The result was $2.5 billion in savings to the taxpayer.
"Administrative costs of the Medicaid program will soon be taken over by the State rather than paid for by local property taxpayers," Giglio said. "The state recently phased in a gradual takeover of the 3 percent local share of Medicaid costs, but I believe that more must be done for local property taxpayers. Counties have no control over the rules or eligibility for Medicaid, but county taxpayers are stuck paying for a significant portion of the cost. That must end and that is why I am supporting legislation to end the county share of the cost."
Giglio has been endorsed by the National Federation of Independent Business, New York's leading small business association; by Unshackle Upstate, a bipartisan organization focused on making state government more accountable to taxpayers; was named by the New York State Farm Bureau as a member of its "Circle of Friends," and received an A+ rating and endorsement from the National Rifle Association.
"Sen. Cathy Young and I have made a great team for the Southern Tier while in Albany," Giglio said. "I hope that the voters of the 148th District continue to believe that I'll do my absolute best to represent them. Election Day is a little under four weeks away, and I'll be visiting with voters and taxpayers from now until then getting out the message."