Proposed Cuts Look Bad for WNY

While we wait for tonight's coverage of the Partnership for the Public Good's press conference this afternoon, we want to encourage you to take a look at the report they released on proposed budget cuts and their impact on Western New York. We are very concerned about the impact these cuts will have on struggling communities in our region.

From the Buffalo News "Good Morning Buffalo" column today:

The report says Western New York would lose more than $25 million from the Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps keep 132,000 people warm in the winter. Block grant funds, already on the decline for a decade, would shrink another 7.5 percent. And then there's the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which would be cut by $125 million. The group is asking the public and our congressional delegation to fight hard to keep these funds.

In the realm of housing, Block Grant funds provide for a huge diversity of programs in Buffalo--from homeownership programs to emergency repair programs and even to youth development programs. At a time when even private funding is drying up, residents have to make their voices heard of they don't want to see proven, effective programs disappear. 

The switchboard for both the House and Senate is 1-877-210-5351.