The New York State Assembly recently released the One-House Budget proposal.

Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay Lake) secured funding for numerous North Country programs and pushed to include important education funding, as well as funding for economic development and road infrastructure. Jones also advocated to reject measures proposed by the Governor including the proposal to shift Medicaid costs to the counties.

“There is still a long road ahead of us before the final State Budget,” said Jones, “but I am proud to have secured critical funding for the North Country in the One House Budget and to also push for funding for education, infrastructure, economic development, and agriculture that will benefit local residents as well. This includes my proposal to establish capital funding for volunteer fire departments, restoring my Shovel Ready program for economic development, and important funding for the Adirondacks to address overuse and create a High Peaks Information Center. I am also relieved that my colleagues and I rejected shifting Medicaid costs to the counties and lifting the Charter School cap.”

Critical funding for the North Country includes:

• $10 million for volunteer fire departments capital fund
• $200 million for the Shovel Ready Grant program
• $300,000 for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program
• $75,000 for the New York Maple Producers Association
• $10 million to address overuse in the Adirondack and Catskill Parks
• $100,000 for a High Peaks Information Center
• $4 million for the Survey for Climate Change and Adirondack Lake Ecosystems
• $250,000 for Paul Smith’s Visitor Information Center
• $250 million for PAVE NY funding
• $1 million for the Tourism Matching Grants program