Lengthy Island is getting a mere 7.8% of the state’s subsequent annual transportation price range — a 3rd of what it sometimes nets — and native pols and commerce teams are crying foul.
The stunning drop in transit {dollars} for the island — which normally lands about 23% of New York’s yearly transportation price range — comes simply days earlier than Gov. Kathy Hochul is slotted to ship her State of the State deal with.
“Suffolk [County, LI] is primary within the state — extra registered autos, extra licensed drivers, extra lane mileage than some other county,” Suffolk County Government Ed Romaine instructed The Publish. “Lengthy Island is getting shortchanged by way of transportation support.”
Romaine stated state transportation support was beforehand based mostly on three metrics: lane mileage, licensed drivers and registered-vehicle numbers. Suffolk County leads the state in all three classes, he stated, including he’s not sure what modified for Lengthy Island to lose out on its typical transit pot.
Below the brand new price range, Buffalo/Western New York will obtain 40.1% of the funding, New York Metropolis 13.6%, and the Hudson Valley 9.6%, along with Lengthy Island’s reduce. The remaining upstate areas will obtain 28.9%.
A letter went out to Lengthy Island pols urging them to take motion towards the state’s plan.
“Now we have a few of the fastest-deteriorating highway situations within the state,” wrote Marc Herbst, govt director of the Lengthy Island Contractors’ Affiliation, within the memo. “Lengthy Island has skilled a big decline over the previous six years.”
The letter endorses another plan titled the 2025 Folks’s Funds Framework, led by native state Assemblywoman Michaelle Solanges. The plan proposes an $800 million increase to the DOT Transportation capital program, the restoration of the Suburban Freeway Enchancment funding program for the Lengthy Island and Hudson Valley areas and the institution of a Lengthy Island Metropolitan Planning group.
“In order for you Lengthy Island to be that financial engine, which we might be, we have to put money into infrastructure, roads, sewer, drainage, issues of that nature,” Stated Romaine, who expressed his help for Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in his remarks.
“If you put money into infrastructure, you enhance the productiveness of any entity that you just make investments it,” he stated.
Hochul’s workplace didn’t instantly reply to a Publish request for remark Sunday.
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