Release: Senate Approves Bill Co-Sponsored by Addabbo to Better Track Use and Spending of Hurricane Sandy Funding

Queens, NY (June 25, 2015) NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. recently joined with his Senate colleagues in approving legislation (S.5231) he co-sponsors to provide more oversight and information to the public on the way Hurricane Sandy recovery funds are spent by the State. The bill has also been approved by the State Assembly, and will ultimately be sent to Governor Cuomo for final action.

“Since Hurricane Sandy made its devastating landfall close to three years ago, billions of dollars in federal aid have been earmarked for New York State to help individuals, businesses and municipalities recover and rebuild from the storm,” Addabbo said. “Given the incredible importance of these recovery efforts to my constituents and others who were so profoundly affected by Hurricane Sandy, it is vital that we spend these funds in the most effective and appropriate ways.  This legislation would help to ensure this goal, and I am pleased that the full Legislature has given its stamp of approval to this important proposal.” 

Under the bill, the New York State Division of the Budget (DOB) would be required to maintain and update a portion of its website to detail how Hurricane Sandy monies are being spent. The DOB would also prepare a quarterly report detailing the total amount of recovery monies received by the State, how and where it was distributed, its recipients, the number of related jobs created, whether the funding achieved its purpose, and other specifics.

“Given the sobering recent news that New York City has spent only 16 percent of the Hurricane Sandy-related funding it has received so far, I think we can all agree that greater transparency and accountability in the use of all Sandy funding is warranted,” Addabbo said. “There are a lot of complexities in how various funding streams are used, and how the actual assistance gets to affected homeowners and businesses, but we should all be provided with a better idea of how all Sandy dollars are used, on all levels of government.”

In conclusion, and noting that he hopes Governor Cuomo will act expeditiously to sign the legislation into law, Addabbo said, “Every day, even as we continue to make progress in recovering and rebuilding from Hurricane Sandy, we identify new challenges facing survivors and we need to find new ways to assist them. By carefully analyzing how every penny of federal recovery funds are disbursed and used, we can ensure that New York and all of its residents come back from this storm wiser, braver and more resilient than ever.”