Senator Larkin Announces $1 Million For Local Labor Training To Be Made Available

Senator Bill Larkin (R-C, Cornwall-on-Hudson) today announced that the state has taken action in the process to release $1 million in labor agreement funding to local labor organizations.

"I am very pleased that this funding is finally going to be made available to our local laborers," said Senator Larkin. "It will be used for valuable training for a better prepared and safer workforce. It will also help support more area jobs and their resulting benefits to the local economy."

Senator Larkin explained that the $1 million appropriation was set aside in the 1999 state budget for projects associated with Stewart International Airport when the National Express Group purchased the airport from the state with an initial lease payment of $35 million. Of this $35 million, $1 million was set aside in an agreement with local labor organizations in Orange County as funding that would be designated for the future training of workers.

Todd Diorio, President of the Hudson Valley Building and Construction Trades Council said, "Without Senator Larkin’s help, we would probably have never seen this important training money. Young apprentices entering the construction field will benefit the most from Senator Larkin’s efforts in finally securing these funds."

In March of this year, after six years of requesting a determination, Senator Larkin again appealed to Governor Pataki and the New York State Division of the Budget for a full review and release of the funds. Larkin’s success in advocating for clarity in the language of the original 1999 agreement has resulted in this week’s decision. As a result, the $1 million in training funds will soon be released to local labor organizations throughout Orange County.