Infrastructure Funds Ok'd For Localities: State

The Town of North Hempstead and nine Great Neck peninsula villages will see significant increases in funding this year from the state's Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program.

Lawmakers in Albany recently finalized the 2013-14 state budget plan that includes $75 million of increased funding for the CHIPS program — the first since the 2008-09 budget.

The money will enable municipalities to make road, highway and bridge improvements which could promote job growth and economic development, according to Sen. Jack Martins, R-Mineola.

"By giving our communities here in the Seventh Senate District and throughout the state the ability to invest in their infrastructure will go a long way in growing our local economies in addition to our statewide economy,” said Martins in a news release Monday.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo hailed the increase in CHIPS funding as a "big victory" for state localities.

“I commend the members of the Legislature that worked hard to ensure that these funds are included in our state budget," said Cuomo in a release.

Established by the Legislature in 1981, CHIPS funds go directly to local governments to support repairs to the highways, bridges, and roads they operate and maintain.

Thomaston Mayor Robert Stern said his village will use the funds to possibly increase the number of roads to be repaved this spring.

"Thats a good program, we use it for roads every year," said Stern

A complete breakdown of CHIPS funding is available at www.governor.ny.gov.

Funding amounts and increases over last year for North Hempstead and the nine incorporated villages on the peninsula include:

• Town of North Hempstead: $642,820 total, up 27.75 percent. 
• Great Neck Village: $113,376, up 25.43 percent.
• Great Neck Estates: $63,204, up 26.58 percent. 
• Great Neck Plaza: $21,860, up total 22.76 percent.
• Kensington: $26,220, up 26.85 percent.
• Kings Point: $141,178, up total 26.54 percent.
• Lake Success: $62,706 total, up 26.65 percent.
• Russell Gardens: $17,901, up 26.28 percent.
• Saddle Rock: $21,912, up 26.64 percent.
• Thomaston: $42,070, up 26.76 percent.