Mayor Miner appeals again for NY state help for Syracuse

By Tim Knauss on March 31, 2014 at 11:51 AM, updated March 31, 2014 at 2:01 PM

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Mayor Stephanie Miner today said she has called on Syracuse's representatives in the state Legislature to continue efforts to secure emergency state funding to pay for city infrastructure, following news that the state budget to be voted on today does not contain such funding.

Miner said she appealed over the weekend to Senators John DeFrancisco and David Valesky and Assemblymen Bill Magnarelli and Sam Roberts to help Syracuse pay for water main repairs, police cars and other expenses the city cannot afford on its own.

"I have been on the phone with Senator DeFrancisco, Senator Valesky, Assemblyman Magnarelli, and Assemblyman Roberts urging them to continue seeking funds to address Syracuse's infrastructure crisis," Miner said in a news release today. "Each has assured me they understand our capital needs and are working to find funding solutions."

In December, Mayor Miner wrote to Gov. Andrew Cuomo requesting $16.4 million in emergency capital funds for infrastructure needs including road reconstruction and water main repair. The city has dealt with a record pace of water main breaks this year, with 163 to date, Miner said.

Miner recently submitted testimony to the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works about the infrastructure cost crisis facing Syracuse.

http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/03/mayor_miner_appeals_again_for_ny_state_budget_help_for_syracuse.html