To the Editor:

On behalf of the whole NNY region, the St. Lawrence Democratic Committee heartily thanks Governor Cuomo for his support of the Route 98 project.

We finally have a Governor who recognizes the importance of such a highway to our region and to all of NY. We are very grateful for his leadership on Route 98, as he recognizes that it is major infrastructure weakness in the NYS highway system. It is a sign of his sincere concern for all of the North Country that he has been here multiple times, seeing first hand what would really be needed to provide true economic development for NNY.

He has spoken often about a whole New York and by supporting Route 98 has made his words reverberate loudly through our part of NY with the power and truth underlying his leadership.

We have watched our few major businesses leave and the poverty of our people worsen.

Governor Cuomo is a leader of great courage and vision. We cannot thank him enough for moving us another step out of isolation and into the 21st Century.

The governor knows the importance of adequate trade routes and their relationship to growth of commerce and prosperity. The entire region benefits enormously from the support he has shown; this is a project with a transformational impact for all New Yorkers.

Mark Bellardini

St. Lawrence County Democratic Committee Chair