ALBANY - Last week, Assemblyman Joseph Angelino (R,C-Norwich) joined local officials at a press conference to strongly urge Gov. Hochul to increase Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) funding by $250 million, arguing upstate infrastructure is just as important and deserves the same attention as downstate.

“Local roads are the essential lifeblood of state infrastructure, especially upstate, and they must be prioritized in the budget. The majority of roads and bridges in our state are maintained by local authorities, yet they are underfunded. Every year the governor proposes increases to the MTA budget, but curiously doesn’t do the same for CHIPS, this is wrong, upstate is just as important as New York City,” said Angelino.

Angelino also specified why increasing funding makes financial sense for the people of New York.

“If we increase funding to these programs, we will be able to improve the lives of many in our state.  Not only will the roads become safer for residents and travelers, but we will see a positive economic impact as well, as jobs will be created to fix and maintain the roads. In addition, fixing these problems now will cost much less than if we wait to fix them years down the line,” concluded Angelino.

“Our Goal is for Increased Funding from the State for the Continuation of Valuable Programs such as the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS), Extreme Winter Recovery (EWR), Pave our Potholes (POP) and Pave-NY as “LOCAL ROADS ARE ESSENTIAL.” This is a top priority for the Maintenance and Repair of Local Roads, Bridges and Culverts for our Counties, Towns & Villages across New York State,” said Broome County Deputy Commissioner Chet Kupiec.

“The State needs to recognize the challenges faced by all municipalities in constructing and maintaining our roads and bridges due to inflationary issues and aging infrastructure.  I am thankful to the group of local highway officials who stand with me today as we advocate for the importance of critical CHIPS funding.  We need to properly maintain our roadways and underfunding is not an option,” said Town of Chenango Highway Superintendent, Derin Kraack.

“Albany needs to be reminded that the safety and well-being of upstate families on the road are just as important as those traveling in the five boroughs of New York City,” said Sheriff Fred Akshar. “Dependable, safe roads are key to a successful economy and safer communities. I applaud Assemblyman Angelino and Senator Oberacker for their efforts to stand up and speak out in Albany for our community’s safety.”

Assemblyman Angelino represents the 121st Assembly District, which includes parts of Broome County, Delaware County, Madison County, Chenango County, Sullivan County and Otsego County. Follow Assemblyman Angelino on Facebook.

- Information from the Office of Assemblyman Angelino