Dear eNews Reader,
With the leaves coming down, it feels like full steam ahead to the holidays. I especially enjoyed the leaves this year, which turned out to be nicer than predicted. In the meantime, even though its an “off-year” election please make a plan to vote tomorrow, November 4th. The races on the ballot are all very important. Visit https://www.broomevotes.com for Election information.
Donna
Federal Government Shutdown
As we’ve seen over the last month, the federal shutdown has put various government functions on hold and put the funding for others at risk. The most immediate concern has to do with food security, due to the pause on SNAP food assistance benefits affecting nearly 27,000 people in Broome County alone. This will require everyone to come together to support our local food banks and pantries who are already stretched very thin. Fortunately, the Governor is sending in state resources to help make up the difference for the time being. Please advise your friends and neighbors in need to call 2-1-1 for information about where to receive assistance.
We are also concerned about the expiration of the Affordable Care Act subsidies, putting 140,000 New Yorkers at risk of significant increases in their health insurance premiums, including many here in Broome County. Additionally, if the proposed Medicaid cuts are implemented, there will be a lot more people without any basic protections.
This is an unprecedented time with devastating impacts on the horizon. I can assure you I’m speaking with government and community leaders daily to come up with a plan to mitigate the worst of the effects. I am also helping to convene a local healthcare response team to address healthcare issues in real time. I will continue to update you on further developments. As always, my office is available if you have any questions: 607-723-9047.
New Trades Complex Opens at BOCES
Earlier this month we celebrated the grand opening of the new Trades Complex at Broome-Tioga BOCES with a ribbon cutting. This new facility will help prepare students for the many skilled trade careers that are in high demand. I was happy to secure a $1.3M Assembly grant to support the project, funding a new training building that will house equipment and allow students to learn through the winter, along with a truck and roadway to train CDL drivers. I was glad that the complex was able to open ahead of the school year and excited to see so many students taking advantage of this opportunity.
BC Transit Electrifying Fleet
NYS Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez was in town to help “cut the ribbon” on BC Transit’s 6 new battery-electric buses supported by a federal grant. She also announced an additional $3.3M state grant that will be used to purchase 3 additional battery-electric buses, along with the necessary infrastructure. We got to ride one of these new vehicles and see BC Transit’s innovative charging set up. These buses run cleaner and much quieter than the current fleet.
New Veterans Resource Center Opens
We cut the ribbon on the new Timothy M. Grippen Veterans Resource Center on Binghamton’s Northside earlier this month, just in time for Veterans Day. With office spaces for organizations such as Broome County Veterans Services, Clear Path for Veterans, and the Southern Tier Veterans Support Group, the center is a welcoming and unique one-stop shop for veterans’ support and services. There are also ten “tiny houses” on site for veterans in need of housing. The $500K Assembly grant I secured is in recognition of the debt of gratitude we owe to our veterans. Thank you to the team of government and community partners who worked on this, especially County Executive Garnar.
Visiting LifeNet Air Methods Base in Sidney
Last week, Assemblyman Joe Angelino and I took a tour of LifeNet of New York’s medical helicopter base in Sidney. We heard about the importance of legislation we helped pass to allow them to carry blood on their helicopters and the continued evolution of air medical care in New York State. I also enjoyed the quick spin around the airport. I can’t thank them enough for their heroic life-saving work over the last 15 years, providing rapid response to cardiac events, strokes, trauma, burns, and other life-threatening emergencies.
Emergency Food Resources
Broome County’s Food Assistance webpage gathers all information on how to access food and transportation assistance, how to donate or volunteer, and more in one location: broomecountyny.gov/foodassistance
2-1-1 — United Way’s free, confidential hotline — helps connect folks to resources 24/7. Just dial 2-1-1 to be connected with a representative, or explore resources online at helpme211.org/. Information on how to access one of the emergency food boxes provided by the Food Bank of the Southern Tier and CHOW can be found by reaching out to 2-1-1. This is an invaluable resource — please encourage your friends, neighbors and anyone in need to call 2-1-1 for information about where to receive assistance.
BC Transit is also offering no-cost rides to SNAP recipients traveling to and from any food access site in Broome County. Just show your SNAP EBT card to the driver and ride the bus for free. They have also temporarily suspended restrictions on the amount of food a person is allowed to travel with on the bus.
Food Bank of the Southern Tier’s Food Finder allows folks to search by their address or ZIP code to find food pantries, meal sites, shelters, and mobile food distributions near them and the hours that they are open: foodbankst.org/find-food/
CLICK HERE for a list of food pantries and community meal sites (City of Binghamton)
CLICK HERE for a list of food pantries and community meal sites (Countywide, excluding the City)
CLICK HERE for United Way of Broome County’s directory of Food Resources