Public Policy Update: September 2016

Dan McEneny, Tara Kelly, Andrea Goldwyn, Congressman Crowley, Ruth Pierpont, Bonny Betancourt, Adrian Untermyer

Federal Advocacy Heats Up

The Preservation League’s federal advocacy campaign continued this summer with in-district visits to Congressman Dan Donovan (R-Staten Island), Congressman Joe Crowley (D-Queens), and Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney (D-Newburgh). The League also met with the regional director for Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-Glens Falls).

The Preservation League partnered with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) on the meetings, and invited local preservation colleague groups Adirondack Architectural Heritage, New York Landmarks Conservancy, Historic Districts Council, and Municipal Art Society to participate as well. Additionally, a representative from the City of Newburgh, and RUPCO, the Rural Ulster Preservation Corp., participated in the meeting with Maloney.

Key to the meetings was information provided to each member of Congress about federal historic tax credit projects in their district. Discussion focused on the economic and community benefits of rehabilitated historic buildings that were successfully converted to a new use in part through the federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit program.

The Preservation League asked each member of Congress to become a co-sponsor of two key pieces of federal legislation: H.R. 2817, which would reauthorize the Historic Preservation Fund, the source of funding for each state’s Historic Preservation Office and programs; and H.R. 3846, the Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act.

Congressman Donovan is already a co-sponsor of H.R. 2817, and Congressman Maloney announced that he had recently joined onto both bills.

Preservation League Participates in Tonko-Sponsored Heritage Discussion

League staff also attended an informal discussion on August 24 that was hosted by Congressman Paul Tonko to hear the practical needs and policy concerns of heritage groups. Tonko is the Democratic Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on National Heritage Areas.

Capitol Hill in the Capital Region Symposium

In addition to the heritage group discussion, the Preservation League also attended the “Capitol Hill in the Capital Region” symposium hosted by Congressman Tonko on September 16 at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, NY.

The purpose of the event was to share information with the community on how to successfully work with federal agency and Congressional staff. Historic preservation colleague groups were encouraged to attend.