ALBANY – County executives from across the state are calling on Congress to put politics aside and adopt a new stimulus package that includes funding for counties.
Republican Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, president of the New York State Association of County Executives, told a Zoom news conference on Wednesday that “We are at a watershed moment.” He emphasized the need for local government assistance from Washington.
Republican Rockland County Executive Ed Day was miffed as to why GOP leadership in the Senate will not budge.
“I don’t know why Mitch McConnell is so resistant to this, but I am asking him as a human being, understand lives are at risk, lives have been lost, people are sick,” he said. “We are at the precipice with a situation that could be the greatest fight of our generation, a ability to deliver the vaccines that will put us back to some sense of normalcy here in the United States. So, I am appealing directly. Please understand this has to happen and do whatever you can do in a non-partisan manner to do the right thing for the people of this country and the people of New York State.”
Ulster County Executive Patrick Ryan, a Democrat, had a message for Republican Senate Majority Leader McConnell.
“Put up or shut up; that is the moment that we are at. We have been on multiples of these calls and I an sick of it, we are all sick of it, our residents are sick of it and hungry and many of them die, so it is time to put up or shut up,” he said.
Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell, a Republican, said in addition to the virus’ element of human tragedy, the pandemic is also impacting local businesses with many closing their doors never to reopen again.
