LICA & Local Leaders Call On Albany For More $ To Rebuild NY Now
LICA & Local Leaders Call On Albany For More $ To Rebuild NY Now
The reason for the recent press conference held on March 18 at the L.I.E. Welcome Center was perfectly clear to all those in attendance… New York (and Long Island in particular) has a dire need for additional infrastructure investment, particularly to combat the deteriorated and dangerous road and bridge conditions in our region. The Rebuild NY Now event was led by LICA Executive Director Marc Herbst, yet we know that every elected official, labor leader, industry advocate, construction worker, and media representative who joined us that day, needed no provocation to support our position. Each attendee already had personally experienced the treacherous pothole-ridden expressway as they navigated their way to our location.
While LICA and the heavy construction industry are extremely grateful to Governor Kathy Hochul and Senator Chuck Schumer for their support and commitment to improve New York’s infrastructure and for funding already allocated, we are calling upon everyone in Albany to examine the budget and make sure we utilize ALL available funding to support ongoing maintenance needs and improvements of our critical infrastructure which is vital to our economy. The day before, LICA joined a host of other organizations signing a letter to Governor Hochul stating our case for an increase. Many of these same points were echoed by those who joined us that day, including those listed below.
- Matt Cohen, President/CEO, Long Island Association (LIA)
- Mitch Pally, President/CEO, Long Island Builders Institute (LIBI)
- Kyle Strober, Executive Director, Association for a Better Long Island (ABLI)
- Ernie Fazio, President, Long Island Metro Business Association (LIMBA)
- Representatives from Operating Engineers Local 138, Teamsters 282, Laborers Local 1298, Carpenters Local 290, Electricians Local 25, and more.
Numerous elected officials, from both sides of the aisle, also joined LICA at the event, to call for increased funding for our eroding infrastructure, including:
- State Senator Jim Gaughran: “I have personal experience with this. I just had to replace two new tires due to potholes.”
- State Senator Phil Boyle: “The time for talk is over. Let’s do it.”
- State Senator Mario Mattera: “We do not receive our fair share of money for infrastructure…Show us the money.”
- State Senator Alexis Weik
- State Senator Anna Kaplan: “Infrastructure spending is where the ‘rubber meets the road’.”
- Assemblyman Steve Stern: “The money is there. It’s all about priorities. The need is tremendous and urgent.”
- Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti: “I have shovel-ready projects in my district.”
- Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio: “We need to make our roads safe again.”
- Assemblyman Michael Durso: “Let’s get labor back to work.”
- Assemblyman Jospeh DeStefano: “This is a non-partisan issue.”
- Assemblyman Edward Ra “This is how it should be… Senators & Assembly, Democrats & Republicans”
- Assemblyman John Mikulin
- Suffolk County Deputy Executive Jon Kaiman: “We have a rare opportunity to take resources we have and invest in our infrastructure”
Click here to read the official press release or check out other media coverage of the event from: Fox 5, News12, Long Island Business News, CBS Radio and WPIX. For photos of the event, click here.
