Rockland County small businessman says Assemblyman Zebrowski  voted against legislation to pay for Route 59 reconstruction in Clarkstown

 

VALLEY COTTAGE, NY— Frank Sparaco (R-Valley Cottage), local small businessman and 94th Assembly District candidate, blasted Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski, Jr. (D-New City) for voting last night against legislation to pay for ongoing construction work to keep roads and bridges safe in Rockland County.

 The legislation, an amendment to the Governor’s state budget extender (A.10740), would have made payments that are due on a $28.9 million reconstruction and bridge replacement project on Route 59 in the Town of Clarskstown. The payments are being held up due to the late state budget — now 19 days overdue.  The Governor’s emergency spending bill failed to include any state funding for ongoing construction projects. 

 In response to the delay in payments, work on over a dozen construction projects across the state is on hold.  Additionally, some contractors have been forced to lay off workers due to insufficient funds to meet payrolls and are taking legal action against the state. The amendment Zebrowski voted against included $250 million in appropriations statewide for the payment of capital construction projects incurred from April 1 through April 25, 2010.

 “The number one job of state government is to protect the public and this money would have gone to fixing Route 59 in Clarkstown — ensuring a safe drive for Rockland County residents.  Keeping our roads and bridges safe is non-negotiable and should never be used as a political chess piece by our broken state government,” said Sparaco.

 “We can’t jeopardize the safety of Rockland County residents by putting these projects in limbo because the state legislature is too dysfunctional to pass a fiscally responsible, on-time budget,” said Sparaco. 

 “As a father and a small businessman, I’m disgusted how the state is holding hostage the paychecks of construction workers who did their job and have a reasonable expectation that they will get paid.  These construction workers have families with mouths to feed — this is no way to treat hard-working people.  Ken Zebrowksi ought to be ashamed of himself for turning his back on the people who actually work for a living. Enough is enough,” concluded Sparaco.  

 The 94th Assembly District includes Clarkstown, Haverstraw, and Ramapo.