Binghamton, NY – In his latest stop along his tour of Upstate New York, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie visited Broome County Thursday. Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo served as his tour guide, showing the Speaker the area and introducing him to local leaders.

“I appreciate the Speaker taking the time to visit the area learn about our strengths while better understanding the challenges the community faces,” Lupardo said. “He has been very receptive to the concerns of Upstate members, and by seeing the district firsthand Speaker Heastie is in a much better position to help us succeed.”

Heastie’s visit began with a meeting with the Press & Sun-Bulletin editorial board, followed by a live interview on WNBF radio. After a lunch meeting with local labor representatives, the Speaker spoke with the media and then hosted a roundtable discussion with community leaders. The final stops on the tour included visits to Binghamton University’s Innovative Technologies Complex and BAE Systems in Endicott.

“The Upstate tour has been very valuable to my job as Speaker,” Heastie said. “Broome County has some incredible assets, but there are also many challenges the area still faces as it rebounds economically. I learned a lot during my visit and will take this information back to Albany with me so we can continue working toward viable solutions for the Southern Tier.”

Improvements to infrastructure and continued economic development are common themes Upstate. Speaker Heastie will continue his tour next week.