WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer is pulling for New York State counties to receive $370 million directly - without going through Albany - as part of President-elect Barack Obama’s suggested economic stimulus package for states.

About $2 million would be directed to Chenango County.

“We are pushing for that number, and it looks like we have a good chance to get it,” said the Senator in a press conference call to reporters last Thursday. “This should greatly reduce the need for tax increases or layoffs in the localities. It is a large chunk of change for every one of our counties.”

The stimulus would come from the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage. FMAP is traditionally directed to the state and then to counties, which share the cost of Medicaid in New York State. Obama’s financial team and members of Congress, including the Senator from New York, negotiated approximately $100 billion in FMAP funding for states during a two-hour meeting on January 8.

Obama has been promoting a $775 billion spending and tax-cutting plan to stimulate the nation’s overall economy.

Schumer said that he has spoken to many people in the state over the past several weeks who are worried about higher property taxes and cuts in social programs this year.

“In our tough times, tax revenues go down and local governments are then forced between a rock and a hard place, cutting services when needed or increasing taxes. Both are losers,” he said. “The federal government can do something to directly help the localities. ... It was my number one priority that I talked about in the meeting, to make sure we increase direct aid to locals to alleviate the strains on their budgets ... without Albany skimming off any piece.”

Upon hearing the news, Chenango County Board of Supervisors Chairman Richard B. Decker, R-N. Norwich, said he hoped it could happen.