ALBANY, NY — The New York State County Highway Superintendents Association (NYSCHSA) applauded the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) for adopting resolutions that call for a continued and increasing state and federal funding commitment to assist counties in maintaining their local infrastructure.
“Time and again our county leaders demonstrate unified support for increases in state funding for local highway departments to maintain the roads, bridges and culverts under their jurisdiction,” said George P. Spanos, P.E., president of NYSCHSA and director of Public Facilities for Chautauqua County.
NYSAC, which represents the thousands of elected and appointed county officials throughout the state, adopted pro-transportation funding resolutions at the recent NYSAC Fall Seminar held Sept. 13-15, 2017 at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown, Syracuse, NY. One NYSAC resolution calls on President Donald Trump and members of the New York Congressional Delegation to direct infrastructure stimulus investments to counties and local governments. A second resolution calls on New York’s state leaders to identify and initiate dedicated funding sources to provide additional resources for county road and bridge capital projects.
“NYSCHSA, having six members on the NYSAC Transportation and Public Works Committee, supported the resolutions advanced by the committee and praised NYSAC for adopting these positions as part of the organization’s 2017 legislative agenda,” Spanos reported. “What NYSAC is advocating for is consistent with what we at NYSCHSA believe is necessary to continue to address the needs of our ailing and aging local transportation infrastructure.”
The county highway superintendents applauded NYSAC leaders for their action on the resolutions and for their ongoing advocacy in partnership with NYSCHSA for additional local programs and funding. “We will continue to work alongside our county elected and appointed officials in a concerted and coordinated effort to meet the critical needs of our infrastructure at all levels of government by enhancing funding for local roads, bridges and culverts in the final 2018-2019 State Budget,” Spanos concluded.
Local roads and bridges account for 87 percent of the roads, 51 percent of the bridges and 48 percent of the vehicle mileage traveled in New York State and are a vital and indispensable part of the overall transportation infrastructure. NYSAC resolutions become the group’s policy positions and agenda going forward and are transmitted to the Governor, State Legislators and Federal officials to inform them about the priorities of county government.