Assemblyman Robert Smullen (R,C,Ref-Meco) is pleased to announce that his calls to restore funding to libraries and municipalities were heard. As the ranking member of the Libraries and Education Technology Committee, Colonel Smullen has worked consistently to restore library funding and pledges to continue to push for more increases in the budget. In a bipartisan effort supported by Smullen, cuts to Aid and Incentives for Municipalities (AIM) were also restored in the Assembly’s one-house budget.

“I believe a focus on local municipalities should always be priority one in the budget,” said Smullen. “When it comes to understanding what our communities need the most, it’s those men and women who work directly in our towns and villages who know what’s best. It is important that our towns and villages have the financial resources they need. By improving the quality of public resources such as libraries, fixing roads and bridges and ensuring our roads are plowed in the winter, we can be sure that our communities will remain strong and vibrant.”

In the Assembly one-house budget, AIM funding was restored after it faced substantial losses in the initial executive budget. Additionally, $5 million that was slated to be cut from library aid was restored. Combined, these funds would allow local municipalities to have the rightful authority over local projects and give them the flexibility to expand programs and services offered to the public. Although this was only the Assembly house bill, Smullen will work to ensure these funds remain in the final enacted budget.