Local municipalities to receive state support for local roads: O’Mara and Palmesano say this year’s budget maintains strong state commitment, restores ‘Extreme Winter Recovery’ aid

Corning, N.Y., April 4—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C,I- Big Flats) and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C,I-Corning) said today that the 2018-2019 state budget maintains strong state support for local roads and bridges, and restores an “Extreme Winter Recovery” allocation for area counties, cities, towns and villages.

O’Mara and Palmesano have collaborated with local highway superintendents and other local officials from throughout New York State over the past several years to lead the fight in the Legislature for fairer and stronger state support for local transportation infrastructure.  It has been a growing, bipartisan effort since 2013.  Earlier this session O’Mara and Palmesano organized a bipartisan group of 142 senators and members of the Assembly, nearly 70% of the entire Legislature, who joined county and town highway superintendents and work crews, and other local leaders from throughout the state to call for support for local roads and bridges.  They noted that local roads and bridges account for 87% of the roads, 52% of the bridges, and 48% of the vehicle mileage logged in New York State.

In a joint statement, O’Mara and Palmesano said, “Beginning in 2013, the state’s recognition of the importance of CHIPS and parity in statewide transportation funding continues to make a significant difference for our local governments, local economies, local property taxpayers and motorist safety locally and statewide.  We will continue to work with Governor Cuomo, our legislative colleagues and local highway superintendents and leaders across this region and state on this vitally important challenge and priority, but this year’s budget continues a stronger state commitment. The improvement and upkeep of local roads and bridges is a wise use of taxpayer dollars.  Every additional dollar of state support means a dollar less that our local property taxpayers have to pay.  It’s also an important investment in economic growth and job creation throughout the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions, and all across New York.”

Vince Spagnoletti, Steuben County Commissioner of Public Works, said, “This year we will turn another 10 miles of poor roads into 10 miles of good roads with this CHIPS and PAVE-NY funding. Senator O’Mara and Assemblyman Palmesano have been the key legislators in Albany driving additional funding to help counties all over the state improve their roads.”

Doug Paddock, Chair of the Yates County Legislature, said, "Programs like CHIPS, PAVE-NY and Extreme Winter Recovery are absolutely critical in allowing local municipalities like Yates County to maintain and improve our critical local infrastructure, especially highways.  These state dollars coming back to our local communities will allow us to increase maintenance and rebuild of roads that were deferred due to budget limitations in the past.  The funds are especially important because they help the local taxpayer and allow us to make critical improvements without increasing the property tax burden.  I would like to thank Senator O'Mara and Assemblyman Palmesano for their continued leadership and advocacy on behalf of our local infrastructure needs and the property taxpayers of Yates County.”

The 2018-19 budget provides $438 million in base funding for the Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS).  The Legislature also restored a $65-million “Extreme Winter Recovery” allocation and the budget includes $100 million of PAVE-NY funding for local roads distributed through the CHIPS funding formula. 

O’Mara and Palmesano said that area counties will receive the following 2018-19 CHIPS (including the Extreme Winter Recovery allocation) and PAVE-NY funding under this year’s budget:

                                                2018-19 CHIPS Aid     2018-19 PAVE-NY      TOTAL

> Chemung County:                $1,871,818.35              376,284.66                   2,248,103.01

> Schuyler County:                       976,728.33             196,538.46                   1,173,266.79  

> Steuben County:                      5,072,386.98             1,011,150.07                6,083,537.05

> Tompkins County:                   2,309,936.92            460,880.01                   2,770,816.93     

> Yates County:                           1,338,380.82            266,477.95                  1,604,858.77   

Area cities will receive the following CHIPS and PAVE-NY funding:

> Corning                                        464,653.52               91,689.44                     556,342.96

> Elmira                                          913,868.73               180,783.68                    1,094,652.41

> Hornell                                         277,894.18                 55,304.08                    333,198.26

> Ithaca                                           502,360.69                 99,471.72                     601,832.41                          

Palmesano, who also represents a part of Seneca County, said that Seneca County’s 2018-19 CHIPS allocation (including Extreme Winter Recovery) is $1,169,727.20 and the county’s PAVE-NY allocation is $233,496.06 for a total of $1,403,233.26.

Funding breakdowns for regional towns and villages are attached above.