Longtime Republican Assemblyman Gary Finch will not seek re-election this fall, he said in a statement on Tuesday.  

“It’s time,” Finch said. “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.”

Finch first took office in 1999. He is also a legislator with an outside job, albeit an unusual one: he is the owner and operator of funeral homes in central New York.

“I want to thank my family for their love and support," Finch said. "My wife Marcia has always been my best and most trusted advisor, and without her partnership, none of this would’ve been possible."