MID-HUDSON – Democratic Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney (D, NY-18), Thursday, said the House is going to push for $1 trillion in funding for police, fire, EMS and schools in the next round of economic funding needed thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Maloney brought local police, fire and EMS top brass together for a Zoom news conference and heard story after story about staffing and program cuts that would occur if Washington did not provide the necessary funding to localities.
He said it was “infuriating” to think that Washington would turn their backs on the first responders that are risking their lives every day.
“It would be bad enough if they just didn’t vote for it, but to say some of the things they’ve said like is some blue state bailout when the State of New York sends $29 billion every single year more to Washington than we get back. So, tell me who is getting bailed out. It is those very states whose senators and whose politicians are resisting this money, who open their greedy hands every year and take New York taxpayer dollars for everything they want to do in their communities,” he said.
Middletown City Police Chief John Ewanciw said the pandemic is causing challenges to the local community noting overdose calls from mid-March to now are up 700 percent over last year and mental health calls are up 185 percent.
Poughkeepsie City Police Captain Richard Wilson said his department is facing the challenges of keeping officers safe and healthy. Without Washington funding, the department could see a significant loss in sworn officers, said PBA President Kevin Van Wagner.
MIke Bigg, COO of New Windsor EMTs, and Middletown City Firefighters Local President Lt. Mark Demchak and Croton Harmon schoolteacher John Bohanwic expressed concern what the loss of funding would to do their agencies.
