Assembly GOPers make last-minute push for water infrastructure money

With the state budget due by midnight Friday, a group of Assembly Republicans is hurriedly pushing for the creation of a new water infrastructure program that would offer aid to local municipalities dealing with drinking water or sewer projects.

The ask is for an appropriation similar to what the state provides the Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) (nearly $440 million in the current iteration of the budget), though supporters admit they'd settle for a smaller chunk — say, $200 million — if it gets the program created.

The ask comes without commitments from the Assembly or state Senate majorities to bring this to the negotiating table in what is supposed to be the final week of budget talks, sponsor Assemblyman Jim Tedisco, R-Glenville, said Monday morning.

The governor did propose in his budget an increase of $100 million to fund clean water projects. But amid talk of a $15 minimum wage and paid family leave (the two biggest ticket items dominating the news cycle), little has been heard on that funding stream. Rather, the focus of infrastructure funding demonstrations have centered on "parity" between the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and state Department of Transportation five-year capital plans (in other words, equal funding for downstate and upstate transportation infrastructure needs).

Cuomo also proposed increasing the state Environmental Protection Fund to $300 million. That fund can go toward municipal wastewater treatment projects.

Yet Tedisco and colleagues say that a small chunk of the billions going toward economic development projects for their Safe Water Infrastructure Action Program (SWAP) would go a long way to addressing the "lurking monster" that is aging infrastructure. They even say that while unsexy, water infrastructure projects both would be a boon to economic development and would save money in the long run.

"If we have failing water lines and failing storm sewers, the money we're investing with our CHIPS money on top, if something breaks down below, we're kind of just throwing money out the window," said Joe Whalen, the Town of Ballston, Saratoga County, highway superintendent.

If the funding does not arrive in the budget, Tedisco and colleagues have introduced legislation that would create the fund outside the budget process.

Source: Assembly GOPers make last-minute push for water infrastructure money