 Thompson had been allied with NY City developer Howard Milstein . In 2010 Thompson arranged for a $ 400 @,@ 000 grant from NY State 's Economic Development Program for the Manhattan billionaire 's Niagara Falls Redevelopment company to demolish properties in NiagaraFalls , NY . Thompson was a vocal spokesman against the May 2007 bill to raise State Senator salaries because the lack of raises for Buffalo city workers made it seem wrong to him . After refusing to comment on the issue for some time , Thompson was one of eight Democratic defectors on Eliot Spitzer 's unpopular policy allowing illegal aliens to obtain driver 's licenses . Thompson was one of eleven New York State Senators to be uncontested in the November 2008 general election . He supported the streamlining of minority- and woman @-@ owned business certification . He opposes fracking 
