North Country takeaways from Governor Cuomo’s State of the State speech

The governor spoke in broad terms about New York state’s future this afternoon, and his most passionate language was reserved for western New York and Buffalo, which he said deserved major attention to revitalize that region’s economy.

But he spoke about a number of issues vital to the North Country.  The following excerpts are from his prepared comments.  The governor deviated from this text as he ad-libbed his way through the speech, but this gives you the gist.

On mandate reform for local governments, the governor called for an “up or down vote” on reforms this year:

The joint Legislative and Executive Mandate Relief Council
we created last year will begin its work this month. I will
request that the Council hold public hearings. We need a
robust public discussion on the pros and cons of the
mandates. The Commission will issue a package of
recommendations by the end of the session. We need a yea
or nay vote this year.

The governor called for a $2 billion investment in electric transmission corridors connecting our region and Quebec to consumers downstate:

We have an excess of generation capacity and tremendous
wind power potential in Upstate and Western New York and
north of the border in Quebec. We have tremendous energy
needs Downstate. Just as we built the New York State
Thruway to unite distant parts of the state, we will develop
an “Energy Highway” system that will bring excess fossil-fuel
energy from Western New York downstate, and also tap into
Upstate’s potential for renewable energy, like wind power.
Just like we built the Northway, we will develop an energy
expressway down from Quebec.

Reform of management of programs, like the Sunmount center in Tupper Lake, that provide services to people with developmental disabilities:

Many of the problems our disabled residents encounter are
not the result of limited resources, but rooted instead in
failures in the organization and management of services.
We must develop a system that recognizes the potential of
and the barriers faced by each individual we serve. We
must focus on quality and prevention, and simplify and
streamline access to services.

Governor Cuomo again suggested that he would veto any political maps developed by lawmakers, not by an independent redistricting body:

I would veto any lines not developed through such a
process. Independent redistricting will help restore public
trust in government.
The redistricting process would work transparently with
public hearings held in every corner of New
York. Comments and feedback would be submitted by
individual voters, organizations, and stakeholders. The
proposed district maps will be subject to extensive public
comment and revised as necessary before being finalized.

So there are some takeaways.  What do you think?

Tags: analysis, politics