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Rochester Coalition Lobbies State Lawmakers for Additional Funds

RBA president and CEO Sandy Parker
www.rballiance.com
RBA president and CEO Sandy Parker

A coalition of Rochester business, government, education, labor and non-profit leaders is in Albany today.

The Rochester Community Coalition was asking state legislative leaders to allocate funds for a number of programs and services.

Sandy Parker, president and CEO of the Rochester Business Alliance, says one key area is state aid to the City of Rochester.  She says they're asking for a change in the way those funds are distributed. "Because the formula in terms of how AIM aid is distributed was put together years and years ago when Rochester was a very different city. So we're looking for a more equitable system in the way they dole the money out."

Aid and Incentives to Municipalities (AIM) aid funds everything from public safety to education and economic development services. 

Mayor Lovely Warren has said that Rochester has lowest per capita state aid of all the major Upstate cities. 

The coalition is also asking for an additional $6 million for child care services, Center for Excellence status for both RIT and the University of Rochester, and funding for key projects identified by the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council. 

Beth Adams joined WXXI as host of Morning Edition in 2012 after a more than two-decade radio career. She was the longtime host of the WHAM Morning News in Rochester. Her career also took her from radio stations in Elmira, New York, to Miami, Florida.