Today marks the sixth annual Professional Engineers Day. This is an opportunity to raise awareness about this important profession and show appreciation for the hardworking people who play such a vital role in our communities. The oath of integrity and responsibility I made as an engineer has always been a guiding force in my role as your representative for the 111^th District.

The first professional engineering license was issued to Charles Bellamy in Wyoming on Aug. 8, 1907. Since then, countless professional engineers across the globe have made the same commitment as Mr. Bellamy to protecting public health and safety. From clean water infrastructure to roadways and hospitals, engineers are keenly aware of the foundations that uphold our communities and help keep our families safe while performing everyday tasks.

As your Assemblyman, I’ve continued to prioritize the infrastructure that our homes and businesses rely upon by securing funding and advocating for critical projects and initiatives, such as $1.6 million for emergency repairs to Church Street in Amsterdam and $500,000 for the Crane-Main intersection project in Schenectady.

I highly value the 15 years I spent as an engineer and want to thank all those who have entered the profession. I will continue to do my part to stand by these men and women and fight for the resources needed to protect our neighborhoods from the ground up.