Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, reappointed Assembly Chair of the Commission on Rural Resources, again calls on Governor Cuomo to address the growing needs of rural communities in the upcoming state budget.

Following the Governor’s State of the State Address earlier today he issued the following statements:

Broadband Coverage:

The fact is, our rural communities here in upstate New York have been critically underfunded for years, lacking important resources like high speed broadband, needed now more than ever to access important information, obtain health and legal services, for education and the transition to working at home. While the Governor emphasized lowering the cost of broadband in today’s address, with the state’s significant investment to date through the New NY Broadband Program and a number of other resources, it is imperative that we first serve all New Yorkers.

The Governor also claimed that 98% of residents had access to broadband, but the fact is New York State broadband mapping follows the FCC’s practice to map service based on census blocks. A census block is considered served if there is broadband service to one or more locations within the block. This system is especially problematic in rural areas, which have large census blocks that are considered served even if a single neighborhood has broadband service—each census block contains between 240 and 1200 housing units and would be considered covered even if 1 out of 1200 houses is served by broadband.

Further highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the transition to remote learning and work-at-home has been a particularly difficult move and in some rural areas of the state impossible, due to a lack of reliable access to high-speed broadband. Some businesses, unable to operate virtually and online, have been forced to close their doors.

The Governor’s New NY Broadband Program made a promise back in 2015 to provide broadband coverage in all areas of the state. However, the fact is many rural communities here in upstate New York were simply left out. This critical service, needed now more than ever in the rural communities of upstate New York, must be prioritized in the upcoming state budget.

Upstate Cellular Coverage:

In 2019, the Governor’s Upstate Cellular Task Force was formed to address cellular coverage gaps in the major travel routes of upstate NY. However, lack of coverage continues to be a major safety issue and poses a risk while traveling though areas without a stable cell phone connection. The lack of coverage also affects everyday life and limits upstate communities in a number of ways including the new work-at-home restrictions we are under during the COVID-19 outbreak.

This critical initiative must be continued with full support from the Governor’s office, working towards a goal of providing full coverage in these areas.

Rural Ambulance Services:

Ambulance services in our rural communities continue to face distinct challenges, especially during the pandemic. But the reality is, too many ambulance services here in upstate New York have been operating short staffed for years, and those challenges have only increased during the pandemic. In addition to longer travel times, inclement weather and poor road conditions, they’re also facing financial strain that’s affecting their ability to stay open. We simply can’t risk losing more of these services as we continue to battle COVID-19. If the Governor is serious about health care in the rural communities of our state he must prioritize and set clear goals to stabilize this rural health care need until long-term solutions can be identified through the state task force I have proposed in Assembly bill (A.8397a).

Rebuilding the Economy:

The Governor must address the needs of New York’s rural communities in any plan to rebuild the economy. From agriculture to tourism, our rural communities have always enabled our state to thrive. Despite the inequities they face, our rural communities have still provided us with a safe and affordable food supply through these difficult times. They will be invaluable as we work to rebuild our economy, providing the natural resources we all depend on not only for food, but also energy, water, and recreation.