Local Officials Call For Increased Funding For Local Roads in 2015 Budget

Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF-Sag Harbor) has joined Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R-Corning) and State Senator Tom O’Mara (R-Big Flats) in writing a letter to the Governor and State Legislative leaders calling for increased funding for local roads in the 2015 State Budget.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has cut $40 million to use for local roads for extreme weather recovery from his proposed 2015 Budget Proposal.

The total funding for the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) for 2015 is proposed at $438.1 million.

However, under the proposal created by the elected officials, $100 million would be added to the CHIPS program, which would restore the $40 million cut and add an additional $60 million in new money for local roads.

In addition, the proposal would earmark a portion of the estimated $5.4 billion surplus generated by bank settlements in the amount of $100 million a year for five years for a total of $500 million to a establish a “State
Aid to Local Roads, Bridges and Culverts program.

These funds would also be distributed through the CHIPS formula toinsure that every community throughout the State would benefit from these settlement funds and that the one shot revenues generated by the settlement would go for capital investment.

“It is imperative that New York State address the shortcomings of its local transportation infrastructure,” Thiele said.

According to Thiele, studies show that 32% of bridges are deficient and 40% of roads are rated fair or poor.

“This has been exacerbated by the current harsh winter which still has at least a month to go,” he said. “87% of roads and 50% of the State’s 18,000 bridges are the responsibility of local government.”

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