FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New York, New York
October 5, 2005

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Bipartisan Group Forms Vote Yes for Transportation Committee

Hails New Quinnipiac University Poll Showing New Yorkers Support Transportation Bond Act

Republicans, Democrats and Independents all Support Measure

A new Quinnipiac University poll shows that New York voters strongly support the Transportation Bond Act – Proposal 2 on this November’s ballot. Voters across the state support the measure by a 56%-36% margin. The act is popular across the political spectrum and enjoys significant support among Democrats, Republicans and independents.

The state’s leading labor and business organizations, environmentalists, transportation advocates and elected officials have formed the bipartisan Vote Yes for Transportation Committee to promote passage of the bill.

Ex-officio members of the Vote Yes Committee, Assemblyman Richard Brodsky (D-Westchester) and Senator Thomas Libous (R-Binghamton) were pleased with the results of the poll. Assemblyman Brodsky said, “There is no more pressing problem in light of Hurricane Katrina than ensuring our roads, trains, subways and bridges are able to transport our citizens when an emergency hits. The people of the state need this Bond Act.”

Senator Libous agreed, “Transportation is the economic life blood of our state’s economy. This Bond Act ensures a stronger and safer transportation infrastructure as well as good jobs for the citizens of New York.”

Kathryn Wylde, President and CEO of the Partnership for New York City, the city’s leading business organization, and a member of the Vote Yes Committee, shares this enthusiasm, “The Partnership has documented significant economic development returns from capital investment in mass transit. The Transportation Bond Act is an investment that will yield significant returns for New York City and State.”

Another member, AJ Castelbuono, President of the Associated General Contractors for the Upstate Region, added, “While we are encouraged by these poll results, we expect the support in upstate communities to be even greater as voters are made aware of the tremendous job creation, economic benefits, safety enhancements and reduced travel times that these transportation improvements will provide.”

The Transportation Bond Act will provide $2.9 billion over five years for major improvements to roads, bridges and public transportation including the Long Island Railroad and the New York City subway system. The Bond Act will help support the largest state highway construction program in history and will create over 120,000 new jobs statewide.

In upstate New York, the Bond Act will provide funding for projects including rebuilding the I-90/I-290 interchange in Erie County, continuing I-86 in the Southern Tier, reconstructing the 390/I-490 interchange in Monroe County, improving I-81 in Central New York and reconstructing the Exit 6 interchange of I-87 in the Capital Region.