Two new state legislators, 48th District Senator Patty Ritchie of Heuvelton and 122nd District Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush of Black River, along with 118th District Assemblywoman Addie Russell of Theresa, say they will work hard to meet the goals they share with Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Cuomo, New York’s new governor, gave his State of the State address today.

Ritchie said she applauds Cuomo’s candid and realistic assessment of the “State of New York State,” and promised to work to get New York government back on the right track and restore trust.

“It’s refreshing to have a governor who recognizes that it will take more than just tough talk to get us out of the fiscal crisis the Empire State is facing,” said Ritchie, a newly elected Republican state senator, after the governor’s speech in Albany today.

“We have to make tough choices, and I stand ready to work with Governor Cuomo and colleagues from both sides of the political aisle to make the tough choices, help restore the public’s faith and trust in state government, and get New York back on track,” said Sen. Ritchie.

Senator Ritchie said she was pleased with the Governor’s promise to oppose new taxes and borrowing, a commitment she has made to taxpayers.

“If we hope to end New York State’s terrible image as the worst place to do business in the nation, and create the good jobs that our citizens need, we need to engrave that promise in the granite of the capital building,” she said.

Ritchie said that while she understands the need to reduce spending, she will work to protect the communities of Oswego, Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties, to ensure that the region is treated fairly in upcoming budget negotiations.

Blankenbush, a Republican, said “The governor and I share some of the same aspirations for our state, like freeing businesses to generate more private-sector jobs for New Yorkers. Going forward, I will work hard to reach our shared goals of strengthening the economy, relieving the tax burden, reducing the size of government and fundamentally changing how it operates. I will put all my effort into ensuring that we stay the course.”

Russell, a Democrat who was re-elected last November, said the governor “has shown that he clearly understands the problems of the state and has proposed a series of bold solutions. I look forward to being a part of the transformation of New York State government as we embark together this year.”

Echoing one of the themes in Cuomo’s address, Russell said “It cannot and will not be business as usual in Albany. Collaboratively we can enact a smart fiscal plan that balances the budget, reduces our government and creates new efficiencies, and incentivizes our local governments and school systems to succeed.”