SCHUMER REVEALS: TUCKED AWAY IN TRUMP’S TAX BILL IS SECTION TO RIP AWAY $100+ MILLION GRANT FROM BUFFALO FOR BAILEY AVENUE TRANSFORMATION; SCHUMER SAYS ‘HELL NO!’ TO TAKING $$ FROM BUFFALO TO PAY FOR TAX BREAKS FOR BILLIONAIRES, DEMANDS WESTERN NY HOUSE REPUBLICANS BLOCK BILL TO PROTECT VITAL FUNDING FOR BUFFALO TRANSPORTATION

Under-The-Radar Section Of Trump’s New Bill With Tax Breaks For Billionaires & Corporations, Being Rushed By House Republicans Right Now, Includes Section To Claw Back Funding From Grant Program That Provided Whopping $100+ Million To Buffalo’s Bailey Avenue To Overhaul One Of Cities Busiest Bus Routes, Improve Safety, Reduce Traffic, And Build New More Walkable, Bikeable Streets

Senator Says Funding, Which Comes From Inflation Reduction Act He Championed, Was Set To Be Game Changer For Buffalo, But Now Trump Wants To Rip That All Away To Pay For His Tax Cuts For Billionaires, And Schumer Is Demanding Western NY House Republicans Block This Bill From Advancing

Schumer: Trump Wants His Billionaire Tax Breaks Paid For With Money For Worthy Projects Like Buffalo’s Bailey Avenue Overhaul? Hell No! Every Western NY Republican Should Demand This Be Reversed Now

As House Republicans rush to try to pass Trump’s devastating plan to give tax breaks to billionaires and corporations while slashing programs like Medicaid & SNAP, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today revealed that tucked away in an under-the-radar provision in the transportation section of the bill is a proposal to claw back grants from the Neighborhood Access and Equity program, which would include the $100+ million award for Buffalo’s Bailey Avenue transformation project. Schumer said this is outrageous and is demanding Western NY House Republicans join him and stand up to Trump and block this plan from going forward.

“If Trump and House Republicans thought they could quietly rip away over $100 million in funding for Buffalo’s transportation, they are in for a rude awakening. This project creates jobs, increases traffic flow and safety and boosts the local economy; it makes zero sense to defund it. Right now, Trump and House Republicans want their tax breaks for billionaires & corporations paid for by stealing money out of Buffalo’s pockets meant to fix Bailey Avenue. I say hell no, and everyone in Western NY should be outraged at this backwards proposal,” said Senator Schumer. “Bailey Avenue is the spine of the East Side and one of Buffalo’s busiest corridors. Everyone in Buffalo knows how badly it needs to be upgraded to improve safety and fix traffic. Instead of trying to bring back Bailey Avenue, House Republicans are proposing to throw up a giant and unwelcome roadblock. The community was thrilled and I was so proud to deliver this funding for Buffalo last year, and now House Republicans are pulling the rug out from Western NY.”

Schumer added, “Trump would rather billionaires get more money in their bank account than safer streets in Buffalo. We need Western NY’s House Republicans to join us and stand up and block this plan to claw back these grants is reversed. Billionaire tax breaks should not be paid for on the backs of Buffalonians.”

“Bailey Avenue is one of Buffalo’s busiest main roads, spanning the length of the city from north to south, and it is in dire need of improvement,” said Congressman Kennedy. “During my time in the New York State Senate, I secured $3 million to fund the planning process for Bailey Bus Rapid Transit, and that helped unlock more than $100 million in federal funds. I refuse to stand by idly and watch this transformational investment be ripped away from our community to pay for tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy. This money was rightfully awarded, and we will hold the administration to account.”

“This funding matters beyond just a bus line. This project is not just about convenience, but it’s about ensuring that everyone, regardless of income or background, has fair access to the jobs, education, healthcare, and resources that transit can unlock. This project amplifies the voice of the community to bring to the forefront the development needs of the surrounding neighborhood. This project is paramount in fostering inclusive growth and community well-being on the East Side. We thank Senator Schumer for his unprecedented efforts and commitment to the East Side. Enough is enough,” said Essence Sweat, Executive Director, East Buffalo Development Corp.

“The Congressional Republicans proposal to eliminate funding for the Bailey Avenue Bus Rapid Transit project is a form of targeted disinvestment in our community and a direct attack on the East Side of Buffalo. Stripping more than $100 million from a long economically disadvantaged community is short-sighted and fiscally irresponsible. This project would bring faster, more reliable transit, safer streets, and greater access to jobs, education and health care resulting in a more equitable East Side,” said Mayor Christopher P. Scanlon. “As Mayor, I will stand shoulder to shoulder with our federal partners to push back against these reckless cuts.”

Earlier this month, the House Republican-led Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed their section of the tax plan, which included repealing billions for projects through the Neighborhood Access and Equity program created in the historic Inflation Reduction Act Schumer led to passage in the Senate. If this bill were to pass as written, it would claw back nearly the entire grant for Buffalo, imperiling the future of the project which was expecting this substantial federal investment that Buffalo competed for and was awarded.

Last year, Schumer delivered over $100 million in federal funding through this program to modernize Bailey Avenue with new safer streets for all commuters, increasing walkability and bike ability, while also improving traffic flow along the corridor by establishing a new low-no emission Bus Rapid Transit line with dedicated bus lanes.

The Bailey Avenue Bus Rapid Transit project is intended to help overhaul one of the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority’s (NFTA) busiest bus routes, with new modern safer streets and better transportation infrastructure to help reconnect communities and businesses along the corridor. Bailey Avenue has some of the NFTA’s strongest ridership with 2,600+ riders every weekday, but it is in desperate need of upgrades to its bus stop infrastructure, road striping, pedestrian crosswalks and road safety features. According to an NFTA study, in the past 5 years on Bailey Avenue there have been over 2,500 collisions. While the community has long expressed a strong desire for increased affordable transportation along Bailey Avenue, without robust federal funding the project likely could not have happened.

The $100+ million grant that House Republicans put on the chopping block would support the design and construction of a Bus Rapid Transit line and fund the safety improvements along the entire 7.5 mile length of Bailey Avenue from Main Street to South Park. This funding will help to improve and modernize bus service on Bailey Avenue to include features such as dedicated bus lanes, transit signal priority, increased pedestrian and bike safety features, as well as an estimated thirteen stations to provide more comfortable waiting areas to transit riders and facilitate connections to east-west bus routes and other transportation modes.

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