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The New York State Assembly, seen here, will be meeting alongside the state Senate several days a week up until the budget date of April 1, hammering out a spending plan that hopes to please all areas of the state, including taxpayers worried about their own wallets. Courtesy photo
What's The State Looking At In Our Area?
Local Legislators Talk About THEIR Budget Priorities

REGIONAL – This year's New York State budget runs to $152.3 billion, which shows an increase of $5 billion on last year's spending plan. When you include certain federal aid numbers it gets up to $162.2 billion.

Looking past the extra billion proposed for education spending by Governor Cuomo, we checked in on what might be in it for the Rondout Valley, the Catskills and the Shawangunk ridge area.

The Catskill Park Coalition, made up of various nonprofit groups from around the region, was pleased by the inclusion of at least $5 million to support various projects in the Catskill Park under a new "Adventure NY" proposal. State senators James Seward and George Amedore were thanked by park activists for their work in obtaining this funding, in particular regarding their work towards establishing the first line item in the state budget of $500,000 for the Catskill Park and Forest Preserve, which followed several disappointing years when fierce lobbying in Albany failed to produce any earmarked funding for the park.

The biggest sums sought by the Catskill Park Coalition are $4 million to support maintenance work by the DEC via contacts with local groups on trails and all the other infrastructure that serves the growing numbers of visitors to the park. In addition this money would support the Cary Institute to manage a Catskill Environmental Research & Monitoring program.

Related to that would be $2 million to "Save the Hemlocks," an initiative led by Cornell University to wield bio-control over pests destroying the region's native forests in the form of the Laricobius negrinus beetle, which has been approved for this use since 2002 and has been spread widely in the eastern US to stem the damage.

Another item would be $2 million to boost marketing of the region by Catskill Area Tourism services, along with $450,000 to complete an economic study for the park before the Sullivan County casino development brings changes.

Other items that our local assembly persons and state senators are working to implement are spread across the board. Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther (D,I,WF-Forestburgh) said, "This year's budget is especially critical for New York's direct support professionals — DSPs. They provide hands on care to people with developmental disabilities and mental health issues. They work long strenuous hours for far less pay than they deserve, and as the increase in the minimum wage is instituted across the state, the agencies that employ DSPs are struggling."

Gunther, who is chair of the Assembly's Mental Health Committee, also notes the importance of getting necessary funding increases for agencies, such as the ARC groups.

Working another end of the spectrum here, Assembly member Kevin Cahill (D-Kingston) of the 103rd district was glad to announce the $8 million in additional funds directed to improvements to state-owned Belleayre Ski Center in the central Catskills' town of Shandaken.

"Belleayre is the jewel in our beautiful Catskills," said Cahill. "It is also the center of economic activity along the Route 28 corridor. This multi-million dollar commitment, when implemented, will bring the center to a new level. Together with the Maurice D. Hinchey Catskill Interpretive Center, the good work of regional economic development and environmental organizations, and the rugged spirit of the people in and around this Phoenicia attraction, we all have reasons for great optimism."

Senator Seward (R-Oneonta) is promoting the "SUNY Impact Aid Bill" to provide mandate relief to help offset public safety costs. That bill reached senate committee by the end of January. Meanwhile Senator John Bonacic has announced a grant of $50,000 for the Town of Hamptonburgh in Orange County to purchase a new road mower for its highway department and also put out a press release announcing that he's getting behind the Community Heroes Protect Act, would amend state law to make crimes against first responders "hate crimes."



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