By Ashley M. Casey

Staff Writer

On the heels of the House of Representatives’ vote on the Senate’s federal budget bill last week, Congressman John Katko visited North Area Meals on Wheels to pledge his continuing commitment to funding services for seniors in his district.

“This is the best of what America has to offer,” Katko said of NAMOW’s mission and the 250 volunteers who help feed the agency’s nearly 300 clients.

Katko helped volunteers assemble “blizzard packs” — two meals’ worth of nonperishable food in case inclement weather prevents deliveries — and tagged along on NAMOW driver Bob MacSaveny’s route to deliver meals.

The congressman’s Oct. 27 visit came one day after he voted no on the Senate’s federal budget bill, which squeaked by with a total of 216 ayes to 212 nays. Katko was one of 20 Republicans to vote against the Senate budget blueprint. All House Democrats voted no as well. Katko said he voted against the Senate bill because of its proposed elimination of the state and local tax (SALT) deduction.

In order to make up for $1.5 trillion in proposed tax cuts, the House of Representatives bill — on which Katko also voted no — would slash funding for Medicaid and Obamacare by $1.3 trillion. The bill also would make significant cuts to Medicare and income security spending, which includes programs such as the earned income tax credit and food stamps.

“I voted against the [House] budget because it contains what could be considered cuts to SNAP [the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program],” Katko said.

Katko stressed the importance of community development block grants, which help fund Meals on Wheels and other programs that are beneficial for seniors. President Donald Trump’s budget proposal this past spring would eliminate funding for community development block grants.

“Think of the cost to society if we didn’t try to keep people in their homes,” he said.

Katko cited NAMOW as an example of a successful public-private partnership: “We provide the seed money, get the heck out of the way and let these smart people do what they do.”

While Katko’s schedule last Friday focused heavily on seniors —  after visiting NAMOW, he held a telephone town hall to discuss the Medicare Open Enrollment period — the congressman explained that he voted no on the Senate bill out of concerns for middle-class taxpayers.

The bill is the first step in a Republican-led effort to reform the tax code, but Katko said the proposed elimination of the state and local tax (SALT) deduction would hurt the average American.

“Tax reform is critical. On the business/corporate side, it’s great,” he said. “On the personal side, we have to make sure the middle class doesn’t get screwed.”