Senator Alesi Discusses Legacy, Exiting From Race
By: Caroline Tucker
Updated: May 18, 2012
Last week, State Senator Jim Alesi announced that he would not seek re-election for the 55th State Senate seat.
Aseat he's held since 1996.
On Thursday, we caught up with Senator Alesi.
It's the first time we have heard from him since his announcement.
Senator Alesi tells us that this was his decision not to run again.
He said he did not want to divide his party with a brutal and expensive primary.
Also, he said that since he is nearing 65, he would rather not spend more time in office.
Alesi spent the last 16 years in Albany.
He's helped create jobs in Monroe County, supported a state spending cap, and helped curb state spending.
Most recently he's come under fire from members of his own party for supporting New York's same-sex marriage bill.
And last year he got into hot water for suing a Perinton couple after he broke his leg while trespassing in their home.
He later dropped the lawsuit.
He said he is not worried about public opinion.
"I am not worried about my legacy. I know that I worked very hard for this community over the years and the people whose lives I have touched will remember that," said Sen. Jim Alesi, (R) 55th District
Senator Alesi says he plans to work until the end of December.
He says he is looking forward to continuing his work which he said will include bringing a Center for Excellence to Rochester and announcing money for Rochester General Hospital's robotic surgery program.
He would not say whether he has plans to stay in the community after his term is over.
