To the Editor:

I would like to respond to Legislator Lightfoot’s recent article concerning St. Lawrence County highway and bridge infrastructure.

In 1994, the Board of Legislator’s were told that they had to increase bridge funding or 50% of the county bridges would be deficient by 2005. This was ignored.

County cost bridge funding in 2000 was approx. 1.65 million, in 2001 reduced to $250,000, 2002 was $100,000 and by 2005 it was zero. In 2008, it was back up to 1.1 million.

The County’s cost for Capital road projects in 2000 was approx. $690,000 and in 2001, 2002, 2003 it was zero.

This means that the county did not do any capital road projects in those years. In 2008, under the Democrat controlled Legislature, we added 2 million dollars to the highway budget.

This was the first increase in highway funding for many years.

The point that I am trying to make is that under the control of the Republicans, they did not improve our road or bridge infrastructure.

This problem has been going on for years, not just the last 8 years under the Democrats control. The Republicans were taking money away from infrastructure while increasing the fund balance and not doing the road & bridge projects that they should have.

In closing Legislator Lightfoot is also a member of the highway committee and knows these facts, but is trying to blame the Democrats, in reality it is the Republicans to blame many years ago.

Don Peck, Highway Chairman Legislator District #5