Under Pressure From Republicans, Senate Passes Bill To Authorize Money For Road Construction, SUNY Capital And Other Projects
May 5, 2010
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(New York, N.Y.)-After weeks of constant pressure from Senate Republicans, the State Senate today passed a bill (S.7686) to authorize funds to pay for capital construction projects that are important to the State’s job creation efforts.
“Every week we have proposed amendments to the budget extenders that would allow funds to flow for road construction, SUNY capital projects and other projects, and each week every Senate Democrat voted it down, putting hundreds of projects and thousands of jobs in jeopardy,” Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos said. “Now they have brought up and passed a bill that is the same as the plan we have been proposing for weeks. I hope the Assembly will pass it as well so these funds can flow, important projects can move forward and people can continue working.”
The measure pushed by Republicans did not include any new spending, money for these projects already exists, but Governor Paterson made a unilateral decision to suspend payments until a new budget is in place. Since then, contractors have announced layoffs and even shut down important transportation-related projects around the State.
Meanwhile, important economic development ventures at the State University at New York (SUNY) campuses have also been put on hold, as well as a host of environmental conservation, water and sewer projects across the State.
“If the Assembly joins the Senate in passing this bill, it will put SUNY construction funds on equal footing with CUNY by allowing the SUNY capital projects to receive the funds they are due,” Senator Kenneth P. LaValle (R-C-I, Port Jefferson), ranking Republican on the Higher Education Committee said. “SUNY has planned for these projects, the money is there, and they need to go forward for the sake of the communities that rely on economic development related to the schools and for the students who should have the best facilities in which to learn.”
“The projects need to move ahead, the money is there to pay for them, so we have been saying all along that we should give the authorization for the funds to flow,” Senator John DeFrancisco (R-C-I, Syracuse), ranking Republican member of the Senate Finance Committee said. “I’m pleased the Democrats have finally come around to seeing our point and passing a bill that should have been passed weeks ago to prevent these projects from being interrupted.”
Posted by News LI Editor · Filed Under Politics
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