Upstate Leaders Ban Together Telling Governor “Upstate & Western NY Lives Matter”

“He (the Governor) is leaving our communities in a terrible position which will cost lives.”

Leaders from upstate NY are banning together in protest of the Governor’s recent executive order.  He is  commanding the NY National Guard to take life saving COVID-19 equipment  away from upstate facilities and transport them downstate.

A press release from  congressional representatives  Reed and Stefanik; State Senators Ortt, Borello, Jacobs, Helming, Funke and Akshar; Assemblypersons Palmesano and Byrnes; plus others notable names stated,  “Taking our ventilators by force leaves our people without protection and our hospitals unable to save lives today or respond to a coming surge. We stand together opposing the Governor’s very dangerous and reckless action. He is leaving our communities in a terrible position which will cost lives.”

The governor keeps telling us that things will get worse in upstate New York when it comes to COVID-19 infections. Yet now he is saying he’s going to take vitally needed ventilators and protective equipment away from upstate hospitals. This outrageous and unconscionable! We will push back against this. Assemblywoman Marjorie Byrnes stated.

“I am absolutely dumbfounded at the steps the governor has taken today to leave upstate New York as vulnerable as downstate has been during this health crisis,”  Assemblyman Hawley said.

“Not only will upstate hospitals now be left with fewer ventilators for our citizens who need them, but an increase in transport of coronavirus cases to upstate almost certainly means the virus will spread even quicker in our districts. It’s the worst possible management of this crisis I have seen thus far, and I am asking the governor to rescind his Executive Order. Upstate and Western New York lives matter.”