With advocacy at the core of our mission, it is important that we make sure our voice is heard not only locally, but at the national level as well. For the fourth consecutive year, PACNY participated in National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week in Washington, D.C. Joining colleagues from the New York State Historic Preservation Office and the Preservation League of New York State, Murray Gould, PACNY President, attended briefings on federal budget negotiations and targeted legislative efforts. National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week was March 8 to 10.

During his visit, Gould participated in meetings with staff from Senator Charles Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s offices, as well as 11 New York congressional representatives. “We had an opportunity to request support for the reauthorization of the Historic Preservation Fund for Fiscal Year 2017, a key source of funding for our SHPO,” Gould said. “We presented reports on historic preservation activities in each congressional district, as well as requesting support for improvements to the federal rehabilitation tax credit program, which would help smaller projects.”

PACNY was particularly pleased to meet with Zach Powell, Legislative Director for Rep. John Katko, and offer our sincere thanks for Katko’s ongoing support of the Harriet Tubman House in Auburn. Gould also thanked Katko for legislation he recently introduced that would authorize a study of Fort Ontario and the Safe Haven Museum in Oswego to become a National Park.