Congressman Maurice Hinchey has a proven record of getting results for the communities he represents. Since 1995, he has delivered nearly $4 billion for the 22nd Congressional District, including more than $3 billion for Broome, Delaware and Tioga Counties. In the last two years, Hinchey has secured more than $669 million for projects in the Southern Tier.
These federal investments in our region have created jobs, helped communities provide the infrastructure for economic growth, have made low-cost capital available for business startups and expansion, strengthened our schools and health care systems, promoted our tourism industry and lured new businesses to the area.
Highlights from the 109th Congress included:
Marine One Contract for Lockheed Martin
On January 28, 2005, after several years of aggressive campaigning by Hinchey and other members of the New York delegation, the Department of Defense awarded to Lockheed Martin the $1.6 billion contract to build the next generation of Marine One helicopters, which will create up to 750 jobs at the Owego plant and require that Lockheed build a $30 million addition to its plant. Hinchey followed up the contract award by earmarking $926 million for the first phase of the contract in the 2006 Defense Appropriations bill.
Federal Highway Authorization Projects
Hinchey has fought to increase the federal government's investment in our transportation infrastructure, which improves public safety, increases economic development opportunities and alleviates the burden of expensive repairs on local taxpayers. Among the projects for which Hinchey secured funding in the 2005 reauthorization of the Federal Highway Act is the:
- Owego Riverwalk: The final bill funded Hinchey's $1 million transportation authorization earmark to build a 1,200-foot walkway along the Susquehanna River in the historic downtown commercial district of the Village of Owego. The Riverwalk will create riverside access to the unused cellar levels of 20 business properties for development purposes, and connect the village to the river as a recreational resource. This project is a priority economic development initiative, intended to strengthen downtown businesses by attracting more visitors from Tioga County and the surrounding area. The expected economic benefits of this project are increases in sales revenue, storefront occupancy rates, downtown property values, county sales tax revenues, and jobs. Hinchey secured $600,000 for the Owego Riverwalk in the Transportation Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2004.
Tioga REAP Zone
Since securing the designation of Tioga County as one of only four Rural Area Economic Partnership (REAP) Zones in the country in 1999, Hinchey has continued to support this unique, grassroots-driven effort to create new economic opportunities in rural areas. In May 2005, he announced the award of a $93,414 grant for the Community and Economic Development Institute, a training series for small business owners featuring workshops on Main Street development. In June 2006, because of the county's designation as a REAP Zone, the Tioga County Local Development Corporation was awarded a $300,000 low-interest loan for business and community development in the county. The USDA loan, through its Intermediary Relending Program (IRP), makes loans to local governments and non-profit organizations to establish revolving low-interest loan funds for relending, primarily to small businesses. It is anticipated that this new $300,000 loan will help 10 Tioga County businesses create 25 jobs and save seven others. Additionally, in June 2006, legislative action taken by Hinchey yielded a $50,000 USDA grant that will allow the REAP to offer new economic development training opportunities for local business and municipal leaders. Hinchey has secured $1.6 million in earmarks for the Owego Riverwalk in appropriations legislation.
Historic Preservation Projects
As a member of the House Interior Appropriations subcommittee, which determines the annual allocations for federal historic preservation programs, Hinchey has delivered funding to protect and restore some of the Southern Tier's great landmarks, including:
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Tioga County Council on the Arts:
In 2005, he also succeeded in earmarking $20,000 to restore the Tioga County Council on the Arts' building facade.