Assemblyman Al Stirpe (D-Cicero) announced that the Assembly’s 2017-18 state budget proposal includes measures to invest in infrastructure, protect farmers and the environment and provide vital funding for localities.

“Central New York deserves a state budget that works for our hard working families,” Stirpe said. “The Assembly budget proposal ensures our communities’ key industries receive the necessary support to protect and grow our local economy.”

Improving infrastructure

The Assembly proposal strengthens the executive’s Clean Water Infrastructure Act of 2017. It assists municipalities by providing grants to improve water quality, including:

• $1.1 billion for the 2015 Water Infrastructure Improvement Act to help municipalities upgrade their drinking and wastewater infrastructure;
• $138 million for the replacement of lead drinking water service lines;
• $80 million for green infrastructure;
• $80 million to address the issue of emergent contaminants; and
• $70 million for water quality improvement projects.

Most of the roads and bridges in Central New York are maintained by dedicated local highway departments. However, despite their best efforts, many still need important repairs because the funding hasn’t kept pace. The Assembly’s budget proposal increases funding for the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) to $488 million, a $50 million increase from the proposed executive budget.

The Assembly proposal invests heavily in the state Department of Transportation’s capital plan for non-MTA transit projects with $114.5 million, $30 million more than the executive’s budget proposal. Projects include constructing or rehabilitating park-and-ride facilities and deploying new vehicles that are more energy efficient. The Assembly also provides $201.7 for upstate transit operating assistance, a $3 million increase above the executive’s proposal.

“Whether it’s clean water, or safe roads, infrastructure is essential to our day-to-day lives,” said Stirpe. “We’re making sure Central New Yorkers can depend on it.”

Investing in agriculture and workforce development

This year’s budget proposal recognizes that agriculture is one of the chief engines of our state’s economy, restoring $4.79 million to fund agriculture programs.

“Many farmers are struggling to make ends meet,” said Stirpe. “We’ll continue to invest in programs that help local farmers and support cost-reducing innovations because our farms are a vital part of New York’s economy, and it’s up to us to help them grow.”

The budget proposal allocates funds for an array of programs, including a tractor rollover protection program, farm family assistance and agricultural research. The proposal includes $2 million to diminish the invasive species that impact our communities, including health appropriations to ensure we address tick-borne illnesses.

The proposal also creates a new Rural Jobs Investment Program to provide tax incentives for job-creating investments in farming and rural businesses. The budget proposal also provides a refundable tax credit for farmers who donate food to food banks or emergency food programs. It also provides funding for a carbon farming demonstration program, evaluating the use of tax credits for farms employing practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also improving soil resilience and increasing productivity.

As part of continued efforts to ensure workers have the skills needed for good, available jobs, the proposal expands the Employee Training Incentive Credit Program to make it easier for companies to include worker training as part of their expansion projects. It also extends the Youth Works Job Program for five years with $50 million in funding, with $10 million dedicated to an apprenticeship program. In addition, the Assembly proposes $1 million for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Technical Assistance Program, to help New York businesses compete for federal research and development funding.

Further the Assembly’s proposal restores $5 million for capital improvements at local fairs, in addition to providing $80,000 above the executive budget proposal to help with other fair costs.

Preserving the environment

As part of the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), the Assembly’s budget includes:

• $40 million for land acquisition initiatives;
• $20 million for water quality improvement projects;
• $14 million for the eradication of invasive species;
• $1 million to fund e-waste collection days; and
• $1 million to repair and create rail trails.

The Assembly’s budget also includes EPF funding for green jobs and renewable energy training programs, zero emission vehicles and municipal climate adaptation projects. Total EPF funding is $300 million.

Helping localities provide necessary services

The Assembly’s budget proposal includes $715 million in Aid and Incentives for Municipalities (AIM) – $50 million more than the executive’s proposal. AIM funding provides direct state aid to local governments. Additionally, the budget proposal rejects the executive’s Countywide Shared Services initiative which holds AIM funding hostage on the condition that municipalities must create consolidation plans for duplicative services.

“New York has some of the highest property taxes in the country. However, municipalities are already working hard to keep costs down and need the state to reduce unfunded mandates,” said Stirpe.

Acknowledging the need for cost-saving measures, Stirpe has introduced new legislation that establishes the Government Modernization and Medicaid Reimbursement pilot program (A.5513). It would reduce property taxes for residents in Onondaga County by passing Medicaid costs on to the state if a consolidation plan is adopted.