SLATER, LOCAL HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENTS DEMAND FAIR FUNDING FOR LOCAL ROADS
- matt60625
- Feb 27
- 3 min read
Editor’s Note: Watch the press conference video here.
Assemblyman Matt Slater (R,C-Yorktown) joined Westchester and Putnam County highway superintendents in Somers today to call for increased state funding for local roads and bridges in the 2025-26 State Budget.
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed budget maintains last year’s $598 million allocation for the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS). With rising construction costs and inflation, Slater and local officials argue this level of funding is inadequate to meet the growing needs of communities in the Hudson Valley and across the state. They are advocating for an additional $250 million in CHIPS funding—bringing the total to $848 million—to ensure local infrastructure is properly maintained and repaired.
“The Hudson Valley has the worst-rated state roads in all of New York, yet we continue to be shortchanged when it comes to infrastructure funding. While New York receives billions in federal highway aid, 90% of our local roads don’t qualify for those funds, which leaves municipalities struggling to keep up with the rising costs and new state mandates. Yes, our state needs to get its budget under control, but cutting corners on road funding will never be the answer. We cannot treat well-maintained roads as a luxury—they’re a necessity impacting every driver, resident and vehicle including first responders, school busses, delivery trucks, local businesses, public transportation—the list goes on.”
As a member of the Assembly Transportation Committee, Slater has been actively pressing the state to deliver its fair share of funding. During the joint transportation budget hearing on Feb. 6, he directly questioned the transportation commissioner on the need for increased investment in local roads.
“I will continue to use every tool available to me and take advantage of every opportunity to secure the funding our communities deserve,” Slater said.
Somers Highway Superintendent Nick DeVito said, “CHIPS funding is the lifeblood of local transportation. By keeping funding flat, Gov. Hochul is turning a blind eye to the crippling inflation that local municipalities have had to work through these last few years. We need Albany to open their eyes to the reality that we can no longer do more with less. The safety of our residents is paramount, and Gov. Hochul is just continuing to kick the can down the road. It’s not fair to our families to continue to turn the other cheek. This needs to be fixed, and fixed immediately.”
Yorktown Highway Superintendent Dave Paganelli said, “Every time our men and women are out on the road filling potholes, there’s a chance they can be hurt. This is not entitlement, this is not just a quality of life issue, it’s a public safety issue and to ignore that is extremely short-sighted. This is one thing that everyone can benefit from—let us do our jobs to keep our residents safe.”
Carmel Highway Superintendent Mike Stern said, “It’s unfortunate that year after year we have to hold press conferences to fight for the funding necessary to keep our roads safe. However, we will continue to speak up because taxpayers should not have to put up with deteriorating, unsafe roads. We’re not asking for extra funds—we’re simply seeking adequate funding to ensure our crews aren’t forced to do more with fewer resources.”
Putnam Valley Highway Superintendent Shawn Keeler said, “The potholes we navigate daily will only worsen without the proper funding to fix them. With flat funding, we’re unable to properly maintain our roads, which forces us to pick up the pieces later and spend far more than if we were able to address issues before they escalate. I thank Assemblyman Slater for his leadership in fighting for necessary funding so we can perform our jobs even more efficiently and make sure people get where they need to go in the safest way possible.”
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