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Cuomo demands action on federal storm aid

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo
WAMC Photo by Dave Lucas
Governor Andrew Cuomo in Goshen, NY 09.22.11

Governor Andrew Cuomo says New York has helped out other states after disasters so it's time for the federal government to step up and help The Empire State following Superstorm Sandy… WAMC’s Dave Lucas has more.

Cuomo's push came one day after a public plea from the governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. They say members of Congress shouldn't leave for the holidays until they decide on aid for states battered by Sandy.

They and about 125 New York CEOs also urged Congress to quickly pass a $60 billion aid package.

At a news conference Friday, Cuomo said the aid is "critically important."

Congressman Peter King, a New York Republican, says high-stakes budget negotiations were already under way when Sandy hit. That's made the aid request more challenging.

  • © 2012 The Associated Press.
Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.