“I came to Albany to ensure that the voice of the North Country is heard. As a member of the General Government and Local Assistance Joint Budget Subcommittee, I have a seat at the table as we begin budget negotiations concerning issues important to our municipalities.

“As the former chair of the Franklin County Legislature, I understand the unique challenges facing local governments. I’ll bring that perspective to the state budget process and use this opportunity to share the North Country’s needs regarding state assistance to local governments. This aid is crucial to helping our communities provide residents with the resources they need without overburdening them with taxes. Unfunded mandates can severely limit a local government’s ability to provide basic services, and I’ll do all I can to keep them out of our state budget.

“Being a member of this subcommittee will also give me the chance to continue pushing to keep the current tax structure for Forest Preserve lands as is. I fought to include it in the Assembly budget proposal to protect the North Country economy and our region’s local governments, and I’ll fight to ensure it’s in the final budget as well.”