To the Editor:

On Oct. 1, Governor Patterson signed a bill that will have significant positive economic benefits for Northern New York. Because of other important news at that time the issue did not receive front-page billing.

That bill created an authority called the North Country Power Authority that will serve 24 Communities in St. Lawrence and Franklin Counties. In addition to initially saving ratepayers millions of dollars annually on their electricity bills, the Authority will also create new jobs for clerical, management and maintenance work. In the long term this authority can spur the development of our local renewable energy resources thereby creating many additional jobs and further lowering electrical rates.

After seventeen years of hard work by the members and supporters of the Alliance for Municipal Power, the cooperation of North Country elected officials of both parties moved the bill through the legislature this year. Senator Darrel Aubertine and Assemblywoman Addie Russell led the charge. They devoted untold hours to promoting the bill and negotiating the numerous changes along the way. The cooperation and effort on the other side of the aisle by of Assemblywomen Dede Scozzafava and Janet Duprey as well as Senators Joe Griffo and Betty Little was key to the passage of this important bill with nearly unanimous support in both the Senate and the Assembly.

We hear so much every day of gridlock in government that it is gratifying to see our North Country Representatives set an example for he whole country by pulling together to accomplish something as positive as I envision this Authority will be.

James I. Monroe, Member and Former Chairman

Alliance for Municipal Power

Colton