“It’s time,” said Finch. “I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. To maintain the trust of my constituents for over twenty years means something that’s difficult to even put into words.”
“I want to thank my family for their love and support. My wife Marcia has always been my best and most trusted advisor, and without her partnership, none of this would’ve been possible,” said Finch.
Finch was focused on issues that he was passionate about, areas in which state government could make a tangible impact on people’s lives.
“So many compassionate solutions are some of the most pragmatic, and that’s a message I’ve always tried to bring to my colleagues in Albany and to my friends in our district,” said Finch.
Finch’s principled approach earned him the support of labor unions and small business groups, drug treatment advocates and law enforcement officials, farmers and environmental activists.
He was a vote-getting force, prevailing in a series of hotly-contested races in the twilight of his career, none more thrilling than the 2014 election that saw Democrats outspend him 2-1 in a race that cost nearly $1 million.
A long-serving member of the New York State Assembly Committee on Corrections, Finch championed correction officers in Albany. He chaired a statewide Task Force on Workforce Issues in the Correctional System in 2010. He consistently fought for fair wages and safer working conditions for a group of men and women that he often said “work on the front lines of public safety.”
Finch is a beloved mentor to a generation of his colleagues, dispensing advice and sponsoring bipartisan soccer teams.
“I want to thank my colleagues. I’m leaving a Conference that’s filled with energetic, talented people who have an exciting vision for the future. I can’t wait to see what they’re going to achieve in the coming years,” said Finch.
