Fresh off budgeting $2 billion for illegal migrants, Gov. Kathy Hochul has ponied up a comparatively paltry $100 million to fix up state roads across New York, with Long Island getting money for only one small project.
“The entire state is getting 20 times less for its roads than what the governor shelled out for the thousands of illegal aliens she invited into our communities,” noted Assemblyman Joe DeStefano. “The fact that we’re getting only $7 million to repave a service road is a total insult to the Long Islanders who pay enormous taxes and fees and hardly get anything in return.”
The repaving of a four-mile section of the Sunrise Service Road between Pond Road and Nichols Road in the Town of Islip is the only project in either Nassau or Suffolk to end up on Democrat Hochul’s latest road list, leaving many to wonder if she’s punishing Long Island voters for their overwhelming support of President Donald Trump.
Senator Dean Murray pointed out that the two counties received less than nearly every other region in the state. “Adding insult to injury is the money that should be going to our roads and many other needs, such as housing homeless veterans, senior citizens who can’t make ends meet, and solving the garbage crisis, is going to illegal immigrants. Two billion dollars is a huge chunk of money that the governor rerouted from what we really need.”
Hochul tied her release of funds from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to Progressive policies, stating her commitment to revamping and revitalizing New York’s aging infrastructure was being made in the face of global climate change. “The state Department of Transportation is already responding to snow and ice events all across New York State,” the governor stated. “Paving investments in the face of extreme weather help ensure that state highways remain in good repair and have the added benefit of making it easier for Department staff to perform snow and ice operations across New York more effectively and efficiently.”
Congressman Paul Tonko, who represents the state's Capital Region, doubled down on the climate change angle, noting in a press release, “I’m proud to celebrate this significant investment that will help communities across our state withstand the increasing challenges presented by extreme weather.”
The road money flowed through Albany from the so-called “bipartisan” infrastructure act, a borrowed trillion-dollar fund pushed by President Joe Biden and supported by Long Island congressmen. Both defenders and detractors of the bill wondered just how much would be funneled to Long Island.
The funds, aimed at bolstering state roads against winter conditions, will go to highways in 70 locations across New York. A total of 551 lane miles in every region of the state will be repaved at an average cost of $181,448 per mile.
“Between extreme heat in the summer, devastating winter storms, and the ongoing saga of freeze-thaw cycles, New York’s roads take a pounding from extreme weather in all seasons, and this investment takes direct aim at rejuvenating some of the State highways most impacted by extreme weather,” Hochul said. “Keeping our infrastructure in a state of good repair is a sound investment that not only increases resiliency but spurs economic development and tourism across New York.”
Here’s the road spending breakdown:
- Mid-Hudson Region: $16.5 million
- Finger Lakes Region: $13.5 million
- Southern Tier Region: $12.9 million
- Central New York Region: $10.8 million
- Western New York Region: $10.6 million
- State Capital Region: $10.4 million
- North Country Region: $9.9 million
- Long Island Region: $7 million
- Mohawk Valley Region: $4.3 million
- New York City Region: $4 million