O'Mara, Palmesano and legislative leaders, colleagues and advocates to rally support for 'Local Roads Are Essential'

Albany, N.Y., March 8--New York State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C-Big Flats) and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C-Corning) will be joined later this morning by Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt, Assembly Republican Leader Will Barclay, legislative colleagues in the Senate and Assembly, and local roads advocates to call for increased state funding for local roads, bridges, and culverts in the final 2023-2024 New York State budget.

The legislators have scheduled a news conference on Wednesday, March 8, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at the State Capitol.

Wednesday’s news conference coincides with the “Local Roads Are Essential” advocacy campaign getting underway this week and sponsored by the New York State Association of County Highway Superintendents and the New York State Association of Town Superintendents of Highways, Inc. Chief among the concerns is the ongoing deterioration of local roads, bridges, and culverts. Numerous studies over the past decade have highlighted the decline of New York’s locally maintained transportation infrastructure and its impact on economic development, local property taxes, and motorist safety. The local roads advocates are also highlighting the skyrocketing construction and maintenance costs putting a severe strain on the budgets of already overburdened county and town highway departments.

WHEN: Wednesday, March 8, 2023, beginning at 10:00 a.m.

WHERE: Million Dollar Staircase, 2nd Floor, NYS Capitol facing West Capitol Park

WHO:

Senator Tom O’Mara

Assemblyman Phil Palmesano

Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt

Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay

State Senate and Assembly Colleagues

Kevin Rooney, President, NYS Association of County Highway Superintendents

David Miller, President, NYS Association of Town Superintendents of Highways

Michael Elmendorf, President & CEO Associated General Contractors of NYS

Ronald Epstein, President & CEO New York Construction Materials Association

Renée St. Jacques, Associate Director, Public Policy, New York Farm Bureau