Katko opposes amendment that would cut federal funding for Centro

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — U.S. Representative John Katko (R–Camillus) says he’s opposing an amendment to a House of Representatives bill that would result in funding cuts for the Centro bus system.

The amendment would eliminate funding for the “5340 High Density States” bus program, which would result in the funding cut for Central New York’s primary public bus system.

Katko on Wednesday spoke at a public meeting on the surface-transportation reauthorization legislation, his office said in a news release issued Wednesday.

The Republican Congressman is a member of the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure and a member of the surface transportation conference committee.

Calling the amendment “misguided,” Katko said it would redirect the money to a discretionary program that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) controls. In doing so, Katko contends, USDOT would “wreak havoc” on the most “heavily used” transit agencies in the country without providing any “increased funding certainty” to agencies in other states.

“Centro, the transit agency that serves my district would see a cut of more than 20%, and this agency already faces dire financial difficulties. The same devastating cuts would be inflicted on agencies throughout the Northeast, where this funding is needed the most, unless we act,” Katko said in his remarks.

Katko then listed several reasons why he believes the committee “should act and restore this program,” noting that if lawmakers don’t, “then half the nation’s transit users will instantly be worse off.”

“I urge the committee to recede to the Senate’s position on this issue, and get us back to the spirit of cooperation and compromise that ensured that the committee-passed bill received unanimous support,” Katko said.

In addition to his delivered remarks, Katko submitted a statement calling for the committee to maintain Interstate 81’s status as a “high priority corridor” in the proposed Surface Transportation Reauthorization & Reform Act.

The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee on Oct. 22 approved the bill, which Katko’s office described as a “long-term highway bill that addresses many of Central New York’s pressing infrastructure needs.”  

A few weeks later, the U.S. House of Representatives on Nov. 5 approved the bill.

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan then selected Katko to serve on the House and Senate conference committee, which will work to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill, Katko’s office said.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com