Niagara County Legislator John Ceretto has announced his challenge to incumbent Francine DelMonte in the race for the New York State Assembly 138th District seat.

"Like most residents of our community, I've been disgusted by what has transpired in Albany over the years," said Ceretto. And while this state was once a great place to live, raise a family and do business, Francine DelMonte has presided over the greatest decline our state has ever seen."

"New York State is supposed to encourage businesses to grow and create jobs; to put the interests of the people of this state ahead of special interest groups. Unfortunately, Francine DelMonte and her dysfunctional gaggle in Albany have forgotten the reasons they were elected," said Ceretto. "I am running to restore principles to our government and to send a message to politicians like DelMonte that if you forget that it's the people who are the boss, you are no longer welcome."

Ceretto, who is employed by the Programs Office of the New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, resides at 685 Cayuga Drive Lewiston, New York with wife Beth and their four children.

John brings his belief in personal responsibility, hard work and accountability to the race for the New York State Assembly of the 138th District, which includes Lewiston, Porter, Cambria, Niagara, Wheatfield, Wilson, Newfane, Hartland and the city of Niagara Falls.

"The solution to fixing a government that is broken is not more of the same as my opponent seems to believe. In this race I will clearly delineate the differences between the real world that most of us live in and the ivory tower that Ms. DelMonte occupies in Albany," Ceretto said. "Albany isn't the answer to our problems. Albany IS the problem."

John Ceretto was born on May 12, 1952 in Niagara Falls, NY. John attended La Salle Senior High School in Niagara Falls and is a graduate from Niagara University with a Bachelors and a Masters degree in Education and Administration. John then married his wife Beth in 1978 and moved to Lewiston, New York, where he currently resides with his four children.

While still in college, John worked for the Carborundum Abrasive Company. Upon completing his education, John worked as a substitute teacher in many of the local schools and afterwards worked for 20 years at the Tulip Corporation in Niagara Falls.

In 1995, John was elected as a Councilman to the Lewiston Town Board. During his ten years as a councilman, the business climate improved by leaps and bounds. John reduced taxes over by one million dollars and continuously worked to improve the quality of life in Lewiston. In 2005, John was elected as a Niagara County Legislator in the 12th District. Over the past five years, the county legislature has reduced taxes by 15.5% and reduced the size of government by 16%.

John has filed a lawsuit against the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission, seeking to reverse the shroud of secrecy under which the commission operates. John and his county legislature colleagues are also legally challenging the New York Power Authority, after NYPA allowed New York State to sweep over $500 million in NYPA revenues, dollars primarily generated on the backs of the taxpayers of Western New York, to fill the massive hole in the state's budget that Francine DelMonte helped create.

John is Vice-Chairman of the Niagara County Economic Development Committee and Chairman of the Niagara County Refuse Department. In that role, he has sponsored prescription drug and electronic pickup programs to protect our environment.

"I am so grateful for the opportunities that living in a free country gave me and my family. I am running for Assembly because I see those opportunities being taken away by a government run by professional politicians who have no concept of how the average person thinks or what challenges regular people face. I understand the views of the average person better than anyone-because I'm one of them." Ceretto said.

John intends to focus his campaign on "Restoring Albany" through a commitment to common sense reforms that will get our nation back on the right track. His platform includes a commitment to slash wasteful government spending, eliminate a bloated government bureaucracy and reduce the massive debt and high taxes that burden our citizens and employers.

For over 30 years, John has been an active in the community. John is a member of the Holy Name Society of Saint Peters Roman Catholic Church, the Lewiston Kiwanis Club, Chairs the Peach Pop Tent at its annual Peach Festival, Loyal Order of the Moose, Lewiston #2 Fire Hall Lewiston Council of the Arts, Sanborn and Lewiston Historical Society, Friends of the Lewiston Library, and the Cristoforo Colombo Society.

John enjoys camping, gardening and being with his family. He believes that community service is a way to give back to the community and that it is a privilege, not a right, to be an elected official. With your help it would be John's honor to serve you in the 138th District of the New York State Assembly.