Today’s political climate is chaotic. Through the commotion of a Presidential election year, it’s easy to forget that there are other government officials running for office who are vital to balancing out our Nation’s democracy.

Here are the candidates – and their positions on infrastructure – who are running to become the representatives of the State of New York:

Wendy Long

“We need to repair America’s transportation infrastructure. The flow of commerce depends upon it. So, I would make it a priority, and the bids to do all of the work should be competitive and should be done as economically as possible, because we have to do the work when our nation is in great debt. We can’t afford waste, graft, and corporate welfare, as well as excessive bureaucracy, to increase the cost of rebuilding and maintaining our infrastructure.”

Alex Merced

“If we can cut spending and lower taxes, this does give more room for states to raise the resources they need to deal with their local infrastructure. Local governments will best know which roads and infrastructure projects will best serve their communities. For intrastate projects, I would encourage states to create join funds for projects that impact more than one state so they can develop without the unneeded bureaucracy of the Federal Government.”

Charles Schumer

“If we want to grow our economy we must begin by investing in our infrastructure. So after years of short-term extensions and inadequate funding levels, last December I helped spearhead passage of the first major highway bill in over a decade. The FAST Act provided $16.3 billion in direct infrastructure spending in New York, funding transportation programs that benefit commuters statewide. I’ve also been working to put together a plan to tax large corporation’s overseas profits that could generate hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue and then invest that revenue in our nation’s infrastructure. This effort will not only help stabilize the Highway Trust Fund and Mass Transit Account, but it will also provide new revenue to significantly grow infrastructure investment levels.”

Robin Laverne Wilson

“Many people in New York State have no easy access to public transportation. The Mass Transit Account, and Highway Trust Fund need to be expanded to improve access to public transit throughout the country, including rural areas. Increasing the gas tax would provide income to fund large capital transit projects while lowering gas consumption, but this is only a start. Our country’s move away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy will lead to a rebuilding and strengthening of our transportation infrastructure supplementing it with more public transportation, and the phasing out of combustion engine in favor of electric engines. The promotion of local ride sharing programs will reduce traffic as well as wear and tear on roadways.”

To read more on these candidates’ political positions and their corresponding plans of action, visit www.vote411.org. All information about your state and candidates for the upcoming election can be found on this site.