New York State Legislature

NEW YORK STATELEGISLATURE

February 28, 2018

Hon. Andrew M. Cuomo Hon. Paul Karas, Acting Commissioner Executive Chamber NYS Department of Transportation State Capitol, Second Floor 50 Wolf Road Albany, NY 12224 Albany, NY 12232

Hon. John J. Flanagan Hon. Carl E. Heasfie Temporary President and Majority Leader Speaker of the Assembly Room 330 Capitol Room 932 LOB Albany, NY 12247 Albany, NY 12248

Hon. Jeffrey A. Klein Hon. Andrea Stewart-Cousins Senate Coalition Leader Democratic Conference Leader Independent Democratic Conference Leader Room 907 LOB Room 913 LOB Albany, NY 12247 Albany, NY 12247

Hon. Brian Koib Hon. Joseph Morelle Assembly Minority Conference Leader Assembly Majority Leader Room 933 LOB Room 926 LOB Albany, NY 12248 Albany, NY 12248

Hon. Joseph E. Robach, Chair Hon. David Gantt, Chair Senate Transportation Committee Assembly Transportation Committee Room 803 LOB Room 830 LOB Albany, NY 12247 Albany, NY 12248

Dear Governor Cuomo and Legislative Leaders:

For the sixth consecutive session, on behalf of local transportation leaders, municipalities, and taxpayers from throughout our respective legislative districts and across New York State, we once again appreciate and welcome the opportunity to contact you on the need for state investment in local roads, bridges, and culverts.

PRNTED ONRECYCLEDPAPER We first would like to take this opportunity to reiterate our strong support for the PAVE-NY and BRIDGE-NY programs enacted as part of the 2016-17 state budget. These initiatives are providing critical funding for additional road paving, and bridge and culvert work statewide for both the state and local systems.

Further, as we continue to focus on improving New York’s locally maintained transportation infrastructure, we would like to take this opportunity to highlight the Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS), which makes the key difference for so many communities, economies, and motorists throughout New York.

We continue to value your commitment and leadership on this important issue and we ask for your support as we begin our 2018-19 budget negotiations. We believe it is critically important to build on our past successes and renew our commitment to addressing the tremendous, unmet needs and challenges to maintain local roads, bridges, and culverts effectively in every region of New York State.

We believe an even stronger commitment in this year’s final budget to our locally maintained transportation infrastructure is not only feasible andjustified, but also imperative to realizing our shared economic, fiscal, and community development goals.

Therefore, we are again proudly joining with our local leaders to urge you to support a multi- year strategy to help provide our citizens, local property taxpayers, tourists, and motorists with the kind of local transportation system they rely on and deserve.

At a time when local governments face increasingly difficult fiscal constraints due to the tax cap and long-stagnant state aid to municipalities, we cannot stress enough the importance of CHIPS. Furthermore, CHIPS is fundamentally important to local economic development through the hiring of local contractors and local workers. Equally important, every additional dollar of state support means a dollar less that our local property taxpayers have to pay. We simply must keep making these investments in economic growth, job creation, and property tax relief throughout New York State.

First and foremost, it is critical to note that the proposed 2018-19 Executive Budget eliminates a $65-million “Extreme Winter Recovery” allocation enacted last year. These funds have become essential to the ability of our municipalities to address local needs and, particularly within the context of another extreme winter season, fundamental to our state-level commitment.

Therefore, in the final 2018-19 state budget, we are seeking the restoration of a $65-million “Extreme Winter Recovery” allocation, as well as an additional $85 million to increase the CHIPS base aid funding level. Together, this additional $150-million investment would bring total state assistance to $588 million annually. We strongly believe this funding level is absolutely necessary to help meet the increasing infrastructure needs of our local communities.

This level of state assistance, at a minimum, has become central to providing the critical flexibility and funding that localities need to help meet their growing and challenging infrastructure demands. We believe there is a compelling case for New York State to take these proposed steps to address these urgent local transportation and infrastructure shortcomings, and we believe it is simply the right thing to do.

Please review the following facts, which we have highlighted before, as you consider our recommendations:

• Local governments are responsible for maintaining nearly 87 percent of the roads in New York State and one-half of the state’s 18,000 bridges;

• Drivers on local roads contribute nearly half of the gas taxes collected in New York State;

• Forty-eight percent of the vehicle miles traveled in New York are on local roads, yet less than 12 percent of the taxes and fees paid to the state by these drivers go back to maintaining local roads;

• Federal transportation aid to New York (FAST Act) is directed primarily to the National Highway System (interstates, principal arterials, and expressways), which means less funding reaching local systems;

• Estimates by the State Comptroller, state Department of Transportation (DOT), and other independent studies have shown a large number of local road mileage deteriorating and many local bridges rated structurally deficient or fimctionally obsolete;

• Thirty-six percent of bridges are deficient and 38 percent of road pavements are rated fair or poor, and getting worse;

• According to TRIP, a national transportation advocacy group, roads and bridges that are deficient, congested, or lack desirable safety features, cost New York motorists an additional $24.9 billion annually — nearly $2,300 per driver in some areas — due to higher vehicle operating costs, traffic accidents, and congestion-related delays;

• Although much has been mentioned about choosing projects that have a statewide economic development impact, we contend that businesses locate in towns, villages, and cities and, therefore, it is equally important to ensure local roads and bridges are maintained to spur economic development and job creation, while helping to control property taxes for individuals and businesses;

• Every $1 invested in the CHIPS program is $1 less the local property taxpayer has to pay. Additionally, every $1 invested in the CHIPS program can save from $6-S14 in long-term rehabilitation costs. This state assistance benefits the middle class struggling with high local property taxes;

• Safety. How many of our first responders travel over our local roads and bridges to get to an emergency or crisis? How many of our children and grandchildren are placed on school buses every morning and travel over local roads and bridges? It is troubling that we may be risking tragic accidents involving children, first responders, families, farmers, and motorists overall because we are not making the critical and necessary safety improvements to address this growing crisis;

• Our nationally and internationally recognized agriculture and tourism industries are equally dependent upon a well-maintained and viable local infrastructure. Going from a well-conditioned state road to a deteriorating local road or deficient bridge does not send the right message to our local visitors and farmers;

• Locally administered highway projects will result in business for local contractors and work crews that will provide local employment and economic opportunities;

• The State Comptroller further estimates there will be $89 billion in unmet local infrastructure needs over the next 20 years. In an October 2017 report, the comptroller estimated that bridges owned by local governments currently need an estimated $27.4 billion in repairs; and

• According to an analysis by the New York State Association of Town Superintendents of Highways, the local highway system faces an annual funding gap of $1.3 billion.

Adding to the alarming urgency of all of the above, we also have to recognize that local governments continue to struggle to address budgetary demands in the face of the state-imposed property tax cap and freeze, rising pension and health care costs, unfunded state mandates, and stagnant Aid to Municipalities (AIM). This clearly demonstrates the incredible challenge facing our local municipalities to meet the critical investment level needed to maintain and improve local roads, bridges, and culverts. A stronger state-local partnership is the only answer.

In closing, the commitment and investment levels we are seeking, through the CHIPS, BRIDGE-NY, and PAVE-NY programs, will build on the foundation we have successfully made in the last several state budgets and further solidi& our fundamental belief that “Local Roads Matter!” Through the renewed, vigorous state investment we have outlined, we will finally move toward the safe and reliable local infrastructure we envision, an infrastructure that will serve as the catalyst for future economic development andjob creation throughout our local communities.

As always, thank you for your leadership and thoughtful consideration of this very important request. We look forward to working with you once again to achieve these critical goals and make the 2018-19 New York State budget truly transfomrntive for our local transportation system. Sincerely, 7Z ,(o%Jt Thomas F. O’Mara Philip A. Palmesano Senate District 58 Assembly District 132 Thomas D. Croci Phil Boyle Senate District 3 Senate District 4

Carl L. Marcellino Kemp Hannon Senate District 5 Senate District 6 /:; Elainet Phillips Todd Kaminsky Senate District 7 Senate District 9

Tony Avella Leroy Comrie Senate District 11 Senate District 14

Simcha Felder Jesse E. Hamilton Senate District 17 Senate District 20 Martin J. Golden Diane J. Savino Senate District 22 Senate//&District 23 DavidVtCarlucci William J. Larkin, Jr. Senate District 38 Senate District 39 % Zaosec /A% Terrence P. Murphy Sue Serino Senate District 40 Senate District 41

John J. Bonacic Kathleen A. Marchione Senate District 42 Senate District 43

924/ 2a Neil D. Breslin Betty Little Senate District 44 Senate District 45 9LrC4 George A. Amedore, Jr. Joseph A. Griffo Senate District 46 Senate District 47

Patty Ritchie Senate District 48

James Tedisco John A. DeFrancisco Senate District 49 Senate District 50

James L. Seward Fred Mcshar Senate District 51 Senate District 52

kAJ1eQff

David J. Valesky Pamela Helming Senate District 53 Senate District 54 _—

Rich Funke Joseph E. Robach Senate District 55 Senate District 56

Patrick M. Gallivan Senate District 57 Senate District 59

Chris Jacobs Michael H. Ranzenhofer Senate District 60 Senate District 61

Robert G. Ortt Timothy M. Kennedy Senate District 62 Senate District 63 CHIPS/BRIDGEFUNDINGLEUER

Steve P4. Hawley, 139th A.Q Brian 0. Miller, 101st A.D. CL&frZ1 Jo’ h M’J Giglio, 148thjA.D. 6L%%ymond W. Walter, 146th A.D. /)7)7

W. Crouch, 122nd A.D. Ma . Johns, %,5th A.D.

S 7 /%4reza . Kenneth D. Blankenbush, 117th A.D. Peter A. aw ence, 134th A.D. CC Will Barclay, 120th A.D. Angelo J. t/nello? 145th A.D.

seplfA. ErrigS, 133 A.D. Kieran P4. Lalor, 105th A.D.

t<,-QrU

Melissa

Marc

Michael

Michael De

Brian

/ n

K_Lz.1

Murray,

Miller,

Butler,

.3.

Kolb,

Norris, Fitzpatrick,

3rd

131st

JrL

20th

118th

A.D.

CHIPS/BRIDGE

144th

A.D.

8th

A.D.

FUNDING

/%dht/

Andrew

Edward

Robert Brian

David Christopher

LETTER

P. R.

McDonough,

Curran,

Garbarino,

Ra,

Oaks,

19th

Friend,

130th

21st

A.D.

14th

7th

A.D.

124th

A.D.

A.D. A.D.

fl]\

Andrew Ni

Mar

Daniel Karl

David

4tLrtr

ry*CC5TQ

çir-

Beth

Ma(1

Brabenec,

DiPietro,

0’

Walsh,

Stec,

Raia,

-i

jZrt(3

.YrTCCC

takis,

114th

12th

-43

112th

E,C

98th

CHIPS/BRIDGE

147th

64th

A.D.

%%2Z

A.D.

A.D. A.D.

FUNDING

Anthony

Kevin

Pnald

LETTER

M. Castorina,

H. Byrne,

- Palumbo,

‘_

94th

Jr.,

2nd

A.D.

62nd-LD. A.D.

Victor

Jaime

Did

Mich1’I

Yuh-Line

Barrett,

Pichardo,

Williams,

Niou,-65th

Blake,

106th

86th

79th

CCVI

59th

A.D.

CHIPS/BRIDGE

A.D.

4-c-to

A.D.

FUNDING

Eli

Luis

Michaelle

Christide

LETTER

Sepulveda, Jaffee,

Pellegrino,

Solages,

22nd

A.D.

A.D. A.D.

\Jas

6%tc

Harry

Frank

David

Rober

eph

Buchwald,

Skoufig<9th R.

Bronson,

Skartados,

Lentol,

Rodri

93rd

ez,

138th

50th

CHIPS/BRIDGE

104th

A.D.

68th

A.D.

FUNDING

Erik

Edward

Daniel

Nneth

Fred

Robin

Martin

LETTER

C. Quart,

2.)

Schimminger,

Braunstein,

iele,

(Dilan,

73rd

Jr.,

ski,

54th

AD.

15VLD.

26th

96th

140th

A.D.

A.D. A.D. CHIPS/BRIDGEFUNDINGLETTER

Kevin A. Cahill, 103rd AlL

‘-I Clyde Vanel, 33r A.D. Anthony J. Brindisi, 119th A.D.

onRpk (‘ DL Lo 0ScJ Al Stirpe, 127th A.D. Carmen De La Rosa, 72nd A.D.

Nily zic, 25th A.D. Monica P. Wallace, 143rd A.D.

cJ M Anthony D’Urso, 16th A.D. ean M. Ryan, 9t A.D. gA;L 14&fr%

William Magee, 121st A.D. Carrie Woerner, 13th A.D. CKIPS/BRIDGEFUNDINGLETTER

Carmen E. Arroyc, 84th.D. MicAael G. DenDekker, 34th A.D.

Donna A. Lupardo, 1 rd A.D. Marcos A. Crespo, 85th A.D.

en Englebright 4th

Charles D. Layine, 13th A.D.

Andrew ID. Hey ‘, 8th A.D.

D. Billy Jone: A.D. masjInanti 92nd A.D. C Aileen Brian Stacey Steven BWnwell, iii. Pheffer-&nato, Otis, Gunther, 91st 30th

A.D. CHIPS/BRIDGE 100th 23rd .D. A.D.

A.D. N

.D.

FUNDING %€ Felix

UJse LETTER Rivera,

W. E2LA/ttL Ortiz, 78th 51st A.D. A.D. •D. CHIPS/BRIDGEFUNDINGLETtER

David I. Weprin, 24th A.D. Alicia Hyndman, 29th A.D.

(.) Inez? Dickens, 7Ot’I€%k

Simon, 52nd A.D. Michael T\J Daniel A. Rosenthal, 27th A.D. Summary of Senate Signees — CHiPSIBridgeICulvert Funding

Senators:

Fred Akshar, 52nd SD George A. Amedore, Jr., 46th SD Tony Avella, 11” District John J. Bonacic, 42nd SD Phil Boyle, 4th SD Neil D. Breslin, 44th SD David Carlucci, 38th SD Leroy Comrie, 14th SD Thomas D. Croci, 3rd SD John A. DeFrancisco, 50th SD Simcha Felder, 17th SD Rich Funke, 55th SD Patrick M. Gallivan, 59th SD Martin J. Golden, 22” SD Joseph A. Griffo, 47th SD Jesse Hamilton, 20th SD Kemp Hannon, 6th SD Pamela Helming, 54th SD Chris Jacobs, 60th SD Todd Kaminsky, 9th SD Timothy M. Kennedy, 63”’SD William J. Larkin Jr., 39th SD Betty Little, 45th SD Carl L. Marcellino, 5th SD Kathleen A. Marchione, 43Td SD Tenence P. Murphy, 40th SD Thomas F. O’Mara, 58th SD Robert G. Ont, 62nd SD Elaine Phillips, 7th SD Michael H. Ranzenhofer, 61 SD Patty Ritchie, 48 SD Joseph E. Robach, 56th SD Diane J. Savino, 23”’SD Sue Serino, 4l SD James L. Seward, 5l SD James Tedisco, 49th SD David J. Valesky, 53Td SD Catharine Young, 57th SD

Charles

Joseph

Peter

Donna

Mark

Kieran Ron

Brian Alicia Andrew

Ellen Pamela Stephen

Aileen Joseph

Andrew

Sandra Joseph

Christopher Gary

Andrew

Patricia

Michael Anthony

Steven David

Erik

Carmen

Michael

Inez Clifford

Michael

Brian Marcos

Ronald

Kevin

Anthony

Kevin

Marc Harry

David

Karl Michael

Edward Kenneth

Brian

Thomas

Didi

Carmen

Will

Peter Assemblymemhers:

Billy

Summary

Kim

Martin

Lawrence Jaffee

Brabenec

Johns

Barrett

Barclay

Curran

Hyndman J.

Barnwell

Bronson

Lalor A.

Lentol

M. Buchwald

Englebright

Lavine Dickens

Castorina

Jones

Fahy

Crespo

Hevesi

Goodell Garbarino

Hawley

Finch Abbate

Cusick

DenDekker

W. Braunstein

DiPietro

KoIb

D’Urso

40”

Brindisi

Butler

Hunter

Lupardo

Cahill

Galef

Errigo

Gunther

Byrne

Giglio

Fitzpatrick

Abinanti

Arroyo

97”'

j35”'

Friend

Blake,

Crouch

Dilan

Blankenbush

105”'

106”

21”

AD.

109”'

50”

10”'

131” l’ô”'

Rosa

98ih

13”'

28”

15”'

1-,4th

85th

jih

95”

Jr.

63rd

A.D.

30th

70th

29th

103”’

139”'

94”'

AD.

133rd

16”

128th

148”’

A.D.

Jr.

18”

5O’ 147”'

A.D.

54”

AD. I

AD.

7th

123”’

AD. 79”'

100”

AD.

124th 4’”

A.D. 84”'

19” A.D.

A.D.

98”

AD. A.D.

A.D.

l22”

A.D.

AD. 92nd

A.D,

A.D.

34”'

72’’

A.D.

AD.

62’”’

AD.

Al).

A.D.

8”'

AD, AD.

AD.

A.D.

AD.

A.D.

Signatures

A.D.

A.D. A.D,

A.D.

AD.

A.D.

A.D, I

7”

A.D.

for

CHIPS/Bridge

Jaime

Carrie

Kenneth Al

Mary Clyde

David Fred

Raymond Monica?.

James Jo

Albert

Philip

Daniel

Michaelle Frank Nily

Rebecca

Luis

Angelo Jose

Sean

Robin

Dan

Robert Andrew’ Christine

Edward Victor

Amy

Daniel

Stacey

Anthony

Philip

Steven

Michael

Felix

Robert Yuh-Line

Dean Angelo

Walter John

Michael Melissa Nicole

Brian

Michael Shelley

David

William

Taylor Anne

Rosenthal

W. Sepulveda

Rivera

Rozic

Ryan

Beth

Ortiz

Vanel

Murray

Skartados

Steck

Woemer

Skoufis

Stirpe

Stec

Pichardo

Quart

McDonough

Pheffer

Rodriguez

Otis

Santabarbara

Malliotakis

Thiele J.

Weprin

Simon

P. Mayer

Paulin McDonald

Williams A. Miller

Funding

Montesano

Miller

Schimminger

Magee

Miller

Palmesano

Pellegrino

71”

Wallace

Niou

Mosley,

Oaks Morinello

Walsh

Zebrowski

Norris

‘5”'

Raia

149th

SI”

Seawright

78” 19”

114”'

91”

Palumbo

110”

33rd

Solages

Walter

127”’

73”’

A.D.

3rd

99°’

77h

Amato

Jr.

20”'

A.D.

88°’

52nd

87” 90”

A.D.

113”'

38th

A.D. 65”’

24”'

A.D.

86”'

A.D. 130”

12”

A.D.

101”

104°’

121”

A.D.

112”' A.D.

68”

59°’

144”’

1”

AD.

A.D.

57th

143rd

AD.

64”

A.D.

lii

A.D.

AD.

A.D.

9” 14”'

A.D. A.D.

A.D.

146°’

AD.

[5”

A.D.

22”’

l451

l32”

111°’

AD.

2’”’

A.D.

AD.

76”'

23”’

A.D.

(2018)

108’”

A.D.

140°’

AD. AD.

AD.

A.D.

AD.

A.D.

AD.

A.D.

AD.

AD. A.D

AD. A.D.