Government officials expressed optimism Saturday at the annual Delaware County Republican Committee Legislative Breakfast, as a long line of GOP officials spoke at Castle on the Delaware in Walton.
“When President Trump was elected, I felt there is a God,” said state Sen. John Bonacic, who represents the part of Delaware County that lies within the 42nd Senate District.
The two-hour event featured discussions on issues impacting local budgets and economic development, directly related to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s 2017 state of the state address and proposed budget.
A proposed order to withhold $715 million in Aid and Incentives for Municipalities from counties, unless municipalities consolidate and share services, received comment from Bonacic.
“We feel strongly that municipalities are already sharing services and have stripped to the bone their spending,” he said. “We will knock that unreasonable order out of the budget.”
The Republican leadership in the Senate is drafting a resolution to adopt and hand to the governor, stipulating changes to his proposed budget, Bonacic said.
When asked why the governor neglects economic development in the New York City watershed region, Bonacic answered, “In the 18 years I’ve served in office, dealing with the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Department of Environmental Preservation is the hardest part.”
Referring to New York City’s population of nearly 9 million, Bonacic said, “The DEP (New York City Department of Environmental Protection) is a 900-pound gorilla that sees this region as their water supply. They aim to protect it. It’s frustrating, but we keep pushing the bureaucracy to make headway and bring change.”
Sen. James Seward of the 51st Senate District said, “The governor’s budget is a dramatic turn away from the right direction. He slashed $10 million in agriculture-promoting programs.”
Although the governor proposed $20 million for improvements in state-owned ski centers, Seward said, “The $20 million goes north to Gore and Whiteface ski centers. Not one nickel for Bellearye Ski Center here in the Catskills.”
Because the governor has 30 days to amend his proposed budget, Seward encouraged officials and local residents to send letters and emails to the governor’s office, requesting funds for Belleayre.
Seward also mentioned the governor’s initiative to provide free public college tuition to students in families that earn less than $125,000 per year.
“I learned a long time ago that nothing is free,” said Seward, who explained other points in the proposed budget. “The governor wants to add $800 million in new fees and taxes in New York. He wants to diminish STAR benefits for homeowners.”
Assemblyman Clifford Crouch of the 122nd Assembly District told of efforts to change the formula used to determine state funding for schools. “The formula doesn’t treat upstate rural schools fairly,” he said.
Crouch also said, “In a week or so, we’ll roll out a final report to protect people with disabilities better.”
Assemblyman Peter Lopez of the 102nd Assembly District said, “We’re excited about what’s happening on the national scene. But the state challenge is real. We will not follow the governor’s pandering to the public. We will fight for jobs, family farms, broadband, schools, and help the individual.”
Assemblyman Brian Miller, recently elected to represent the 101st Assembly District, said, “The main concerns I heard while campaigning was jobs and infrastructure.” A New Hartford native, Miller said he has 16 years of experience in town and county government.
Sen. Fred Akshar of the 52nd Senate District said, “My focus is the heroin and opioid crisis. Yesterday, Majority Leader Sen. John Flanagan asked me to co-chair the Joint Senate Task Force Committee. I have two goals, to provide oversight to reforms and financial apportions. And, to take the ground-up approach.”
U.S. Rep. John Faso of Kinderhook, serving his first term after being elected to Congress from New York’s 19th District in November, told the audience that he will be involved in one of Washington’s hottest issues. “I’ve been appointed to the committee to re-write the Affordable Care Act,” he said. “The new Trump administration is moving fast, but don’t believe the scare tactics you hear. No one will lose coverage right away. More affordable health insurance options are needed. We’ll fix the problem and repair the system.”