Bonacic applauds Cuomo’s NYRI suit

ALBANY, NY — Senator John Bonacic has issued a statement endorsing New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s federal lawsuit to prohibit the federal government from taking over the approval process for the New York Regional Interconnect (NYRI) power line. Bonacic wrote, “It is disappointing that our Congressional representatives have spent a great deal of time complaining about NYRI, but have not repealed the 2005 Energy Act which allows companies like NYRI to go forward in the first place.”

“It is obvious that our federal representatives have left the heavy lifting to fight NYRI to those of us at the state level. There has been a real non-partisan effort by all of us at the state level to protect property rights by ensuring projects like NYRI do not blight our local communities.”

Payback time for Ellen Memorial

HONESDALE, PA — Ellen Memorial Health Care Center paid back a large chunk of what it owed Wayne County for a $500,000 guarantee made by the county in 1975.

The commissioners accepted a partial payment of $341,963 from Attorney John Martin. The remaining payments will be made in 10 equal installments, the first due eight months from now.

The money came from an Industrial Development Authority escrow account held in the Honesdale National Bank. The funds will be used for a portion of the planned Emergency Management Center to be built next to the Recycling Center in Berlin Township.

According to Commissioner Tony Herzog, the county originally made the guarantee because in 1975 large nursing homes were new for the area, and the county was interested in supporting the project to address the needs of the elderly.

In August of 2005, Ellen Memorial filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy immunity because it could not pay its day-to-day debts. Robert Zabady, the current owner, was not available for comment.

Sullivan gets state aid to streamline property tax procedures

ALBANY, NY — Sullivan County will receive $100,000 in state grants to study how it can reduce local government costs by making property tax assessment and collection more efficient.

The county will receive $50,000 in state aid to study collaborative approaches to local assessing and an additional $50,000 to study and implement a countywide database for tax collection. The grant program, administered by the Office of Real Property Tax Services, provides county and municipal officials the opportunity to determine what assessing structure will lead to improved performance for their taxpayers.

New York is one of only three states in the nation that lacks statewide uniform standards in real property tax administration. It has over 1,100 different entities providing assessments for taxpayers.

PA health-care bill would broaden access, increase affordability

HARRISBURG, PA — A bill (S.B. 1137) has passed the house that would help individuals and small businesses access affordable health care. Pennsylvania Access to Basic Care (PA ABC) would provide access to health coverage for uninsured adults who don’t qualify for Medicaid and Medicare. It would also help small businesses provide health benefits to their employees.

PA ABC would take over coverage for current adultBasic enrollees and expand coverage to those on the waiting list, including more than 2,000 in Monroe and Pike counties. It would also improve coverage to include prescription drugs, behavioral health services, preventive care and chronic disease management.

The program would be available for free or for a premium of up to $50 a month, depending on income, for uninsured adults earning up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $42,400 for a family of four. Uninsured adults earning between 200 percent and 300 percent of the poverty level could access PA ABC for about $311 a month.

Small employers would be able to provide coverage to their workers through PA ABC. If an employer already provides comparable coverage, PA ABC would provide state grants to help them continue to cover their employees.

The bill, which was supported by State Rep. John Siptroth (D-Monroe/Pike), now goes to the senate for concurrence.

Amendment would boost funds going to NY heating aid

WASHINGTON, DC — An amendment to the Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Resolution that makes room in the budget for $5.1 billion in funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) has passed the Senate. The measure funds LIHEAP at the maximum level authorized for the program, as opposed to the President’s 2009 budget request, which provides only $1.7 billion.

“Far too many families throughout New York and across the country struggle to deal with rising energy costs, and fully funding LIHEAP will help ease this burden on our most vulnerable. I applaud my colleagues for recognizing the importance of this measure,” said Senator Hillary Clinton, who cosponsored the bill.

The budget resolution sets parameters for spending and revenues, and is the first step in the process that will lead later this year to the writing of appropriations bills for FY 2009, which will determine the actual level of funding for LIHEAP. The inclusion of the Collins-Reed amendment in the budget resolution is an important step toward funding LIHEAP at the full $5.1 billion. If the program were funded at that level, New York State would stand to receive more than $430 million to assist low-income families, according to Congressional Research Service estimates.