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At the Allegany County Fair recently, Senator O'Mara took part in the Ribbon Cutting ceremony launching the county's propane bus fleet -- becoming the first public transit system in New York State to convert to propane-powered buses. Brooke Harris, chairman of the Allegany County Board of Legislators, said, "We took a chance on this project, and I think it's going to end up being a wise decision. It seems like in Albany that can continues to be kicked down the road, and so it

From left to right: Diocese of Rochester Bishop Brian Bonnici, Father Stanley Kacprzak, Assemblyman Palemsano, and Senator O'Mara. O'Mara, Palmesano, and Assemblyman Joe Sempolinski sponsored a Legislative Resolution honoring the 175th Anniversary! Assemblyman Phil Palmesano and I welcomed the opportunity on Sunday to join Bishop John S. Bonnici, Father Stanley Kacprzak, and members of Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Hornell at a special Mass honoring the 175th anniversary o

Angelica, N.Y., July 27--Over the weekend, Senator O'Mara joined colleagues Senator George Borrello and Assemblyman Joe Sempolinski to carry on one of the region’s great traditions: Legislative Day at the Allegany County Fair. The area lawmakers thanked Brooke Harris, Chair of the Allegany County Board of Legislators, and the entire board, for the annual opportunity to attend and exchange some thoughts and updates. They also welcomed the chance to thank all the volunteers f

From left to right: Assemblyman Phil Palmesano, Senator O'Mara, Corning Inc. CEO and President Wendell Weeks, and Assemblyman Chris Friend. The area lawmakers sponsored a Legislative Resolution paying tribute to the company's 175th Anniversary. On Wednesday, July 22, Senator O'Mara, joined by area Assemblymen Phil Palmesano and Chris Friend, helped celebrate Corning Incorporated’s 175th Anniversary! The area legislators sponsored a Legislative Resolution (J2134) during the 2

We have long called for creating a more business friendly climate in New York State by encouraging lower taxes, fewer mandates, and less regulation. We have long called for injecting some common sense, fairness, and, maybe most importantly, restraint on state regulatory agencies. Senator O'Mara offers his weekly perspective on many of the key challenges and issues facing the Legislature, as well as on legislative actions, local initiatives, state programs and policies, and mo

New York's unique outdoor experiences and pastimes -- and our region is unmatched in this regard -- are sure to entice increased spending on goods and services provided by local businesses. These expenditures support jobs, generate sales and income taxes, and spark tourism. Senator O'Mara offers his weekly perspective on many of the key challenges and issues facing the Legislature, as well as on legislative actions, local initiatives, state programs and policies, and more. S

When the RAPID Act was first approved, we voiced our opposition that the new, fast-tracked, state-dictated process would overrule local zoning, unreasonably expand eminent domain, jeopardize natural resources and farmland, and undermine local control and the will of local residents and communities. Those concerns have been shared by many local leaders and continue to be raised throughout the state, particularly over the loss of prime agricultural land to solar developers. Sen

God Bless America on this Independence Day! I am grateful to take this opportunity to wish the communities, and the citizens and families of New York's 58th Senate District a safe and a meaningful Fourth of July weekend. With so many challenges facing our local commmunities, our state and our nation at home and abroad -- and always remembering the enormous sacrifices made by America's military around the world to protect the ideal of the United States that we celebrate over t

Across the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions, we all take great pride in the fact that The Glen has resonated so powerfully throughout the history of American motorsports and as a mainstay of the NASCAR circuit for the past 40 years! Watkins Glen, N.Y., July 1--State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C-Big Flats), Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C-Corning) and Assemblyman Chris Friend (R,C-Big Flats) recently paid tribute to the 40th Anniversary of NASCAR at Watkins Glen International

Senator O'Mara offers his weekly perspective on many of the key challenges and issues facing the Legislature, as well as on legislative actions, local initiatives, state programs and policies, and more. Stop back every Monday for Senator O'Mara's latest column... This week, "Summer Project No. 1: Reading List" The great American author Ernest Hemingway once wrote, “There is no friend as loyal as a book.” Once again this summer, I am happy to be joining my colleagues in t

Senator O'Mara offers his weekly perspective on many of the key challenges and issues facing the Legislature, as well as on legislative actions, local initiatives, state programs and policies, and more. Stop back every Monday for Senator O'Mara's latest column... This week, "Don't buy what they're selling on energy affordability" I’ve spent the past few weeks recapping the just-concluded 2026 legislative session, in particular the newly enacted 2026-27 state budget that in t

Corning, N.Y., June 17--State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C-Big Flats) and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C-Corning) on Tuesday visited the Corning-Painted Post High School to pay tribute to senior Cella McLaughlin for her 2026 victory in the 55-meter Hurdles at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Indoor Track & Field Championships. McLaughlin captured her second consecutive state championship in the 55-meter Hurdles at the Ocean Breeze Athletic C

New York's taxpayers, families, and job creators keep telling us that this state is on the wrong track. They keep telling us that they can no longer afford to live, work, raise a family, or start a small business here. They keep leaving in droves. Senator O'Mara offers his weekly perspective on many of the key challenges and issues facing the Legislature, as well as on legislative actions, local initiatives, state programs and policies, and more. Stop back every Monday for S

We strongly believe that the creation of a state-level Rural Suicide Prevention Council would be a lifeline for addressing the epidemic of rural suicide. Albany, N.Y., June 10--State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C-Big Flats), Senator Pam Helming (R,C-Canandaigua), Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C-Corning), and Assemblyman Joe Sempolinski (R,C-Canisteo) today called on Governor Kathy Hochul to enact legislation they have sponsored and strongly supported to establish a statewide Rural

Penn Yan, N.Y., June 9—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C-Big Flats) and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C-Corning) visited Penn Yan Academy on Monday to pay tribute to the Boys Varsity Lacrosse Team for winning the 2025 New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Class D championship. The team captured the state championship last June at Hobart and William Smith's Boswell Field, defeating the Chenango Forks Blue Devils 11-8. The victory in the state champions

Listen to Senator O'Mara's June 8th 'Newsmaker' interview on WHCU Radio with a review of the recently concluded 2026 legislative session, including record-setting state spending and the skyrocketing cost of New York State's system of Medicaid. Listen HERE.

Don't taxpayers deserve a "zero tolerance" policy on abuse, fraud, and waste? Alarmingly, there's been a glaring lack of interest at the state level in taking steps to make this system more responsible to taxpayers. Senator O'Mara offers his weekly perspective on many of the key challenges and issues facing the Legislature, as well as on legislative actions, local initiatives, state programs and policies, and more. Stop back every Monday for Senator O'Mara's latest column...

It acts like the need to cut taxes, eliminate unfunded mandates, restrain overregulation, reduce debt and control borrowing, make this state more economically competitive, and other commonsense fiscal and economic practices will never again be priorities. Senator O'Mara offers his weekly perspective on many of the key challenges and issues facing the Legislature, as well as on legislative actions, local initiatives, state programs and policies, and more. Stop back every Mond

New York State taxpayers today and long into the future already face trying to afford, live, and work under a bloated, wasteful, and unaffordable state government. New York is already one of the highest taxed, heavily mandated, overregulated, and least affordable states in America. This budget makes it worse. Albany, N.Y., May 28—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R-C, Big Flats), Ranking Member on the Senate Finance Committee, today called the final 2026-2027 New York State budget be

Albany, N.Y., May 26—At a ceremony in the Legislative Office Building at the state capital on Tuesday, State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C-Big Flats) and his Senate colleagues inducted Denis E. Oliver, a well-known and longtime Service Officer for the Steuben County Veterans’ Service Agency, into the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame. Oliver, a United States Air Force veteran, represented O’Mara’s 58th Senate District and joined approximately 60 other veterans from thro