Gov. Andrew Cuomo used his second State of the State address

Article quoted from the Democrat and Chronical

ALBANY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo used his second State of the State address today to focus on jump-starting New York’s suffering economy, pledging to rebuild the state’s crumbling infrastructure as a way to attract private investment and create jobs.

Riding high after a productive first year in office that led to hefty praise from lawmakers, Cuomo laid out a broad, three-point plan that will guide him in 2012. He focused on creating economic growth, “re-imagining” government and creating progressive programs and policies.

 

He proposed to invest significantly in the state’s bridges and municipal water systems — including the replacement of the 56-year-old Tappan Zee Bridge. He also pushed for a streamlined state government and other reforms, such as revamping New York’s long-criticized campaign finance system.

 

The Democratic governor called for spending $1 billion to try to rescue Buffalo’s faltering economy with development incentives. He also proposed a 3.8 million-square-foot convention center at the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, which would make it the largest of its kind in the country.

 

He also called on lawmakers to approve casino gambling in the state, saying it would add jobs and state revenue.

 

“This agenda that we have laid out today is an ambitious agenda, more ambitious than anything this government has done in decades and decades and decades,” Cuomo said in an address to about 2,000 lawmakers, elected officials and members of the public.

 

“But it is an agenda that I know we can do, because we are New Yorkers.”

 

At the center of Cuomo’s infrastructure agenda, which he said would require $25 billion in state, federal and private investment, is a new Tappan Zee span over the Hudson River between Rockland and Westchester counties. The cost as currently designed is about $5 billion.

 

In all, Cuomo’s plan calls on replacing or improving 100 faltering bridges, 2,000 miles of roads, 90 municipal water systems, 48 state parks and historic sites and 114 flood control projects and dams in areas of the state hit hard by tropical storms Irene and Lee last year

Specific sites would be identified “in the coming days and weeks,” Cuomo spokesman Josh Vlasto said.

 

“We have a great opportunity to rebuild New York,” Cuomo said. “We need private-sector jobs, and we also need to rebuild our infrastructure to keep New York competitive and safe.”

 

Cuomo also committed to hosting public hearings across the state on how to reduce the burden of mandated costs with recommendations before the legislative session ends in June, but he didn’t include any specific proposals.

 

He said he would seek a new, less generous pension tier for new state workers.

 

When it comes to improving state government, Cuomo said he would launch a new commission tasked with reforming the state’s education system, which the governor has criticized.

 

“We’re going to have to take a fundamental look at what we’ve been doing,” Cuomo said, “because the purpose of public education is to help children grow. The purpose of public education is not to grow the public education bureaucracy.”

 

Taking aim at education lobbyists he said have contributed to ballooning school costs, Cuomo said he would become “a lobbyist for the students,” which prompted one lobbying group to fire back.

 

“What our children need Governor Cuomo to do is to listen to what parents and students are saying by restoring funding for lost afterschool programs, art, music and college prep courses, especially for our neediest schools and students,” said Zakiyah Ansari, advocacy director for the Alliance for Quality Education, a union-backed group.

 

When it comes to energy, Cuomo avoided one contentious issue — hydraulic fracturing for natural gas — and proposed another: creating an “energy highway” from western New York and Quebec to New York City.

 

Cuomo mentioned hydrofracking in his briefing book to lawmakers, saying a decision on whether to allow the controversial drilling method won’t be made until an environmental review is completed.

 

Some areas of the state were miffed that Cuomo focused on Buffalo and New York City with development money.

“The thing I was a little sort of wishing more of is what are we going to do about upstate New York — in terms of the North Country, the Southern Tier, the Finger Lakes, central New York?” said Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, R-Canandaigua.

 

Rochester Business Alliance CEO Sandy Parker had strong words for the focus on Buffalo, the state’s second largest city, and not on its third largest city, Rochester.

 

“The long-held view in Albany that Rochester can take care of itself is unfair — and punitive,” Parker said in a statement.

 

Cuomo also didn’t mention the call by good-government groups for an independent redistricting process to draw legislative lines this year. In the briefing book, Cuomo reiterated that he would veto any lines not independently drawn.

 

Good government groups were pleased with the governor’s speech, specifically his call to revamp the state’s campaign finance system, which Cuomo had promised to do during his campaign.

 

In particular, Cuomo said he wants to implement a public-financing system for campaigns and lower contribution limits. Individuals can currently donate up to $41,000 to a statewide candidate for a general election.

 

“We’re absolutely thrilled that the governor sought to highlight campaign finance reform and better enforcement,” said Russ Haven, counsel for the New York Public Interest Research Group.

 

For the second year in a row, Cuomo eschewed tradition and delivered his address in the roomier Empire State Plaza Convention Center rather than the Assembly Chamber, which had been used by governors for decades.

 

People sat and watched while large projector screens showed a Power Point presentation that served as Cuomo’s backdrop, cheering loudly when Cuomo made a final, passionate pitch to the crowd about returning New York to its progressive roots.

 

The speech was also broadcast live on television stations and the Internet.

 

“We are upstate and we are downstate, and we are black and we are white, and we are gay and we are straight,” Cuomo said. “But we are one state at the end of the day, and we act that way. We come together because we are New York, and if we remember those lessons, there is nothing that is stopping us.”

 

On casino gambling, Cuomo said New York is losing out to Massachusetts, New Jersey and even Canada when it comes to reaping the economic benefits of casinos.

 

In order to legalize gaming, the state would have to pass a constitutional amendment, a process that requires passage by consecutively elected Legislatures and the general public. The earliest that process could wrap up is in 2013.

 

The governor wasn’t the only one to make proposals.

 

Speaking before Cuomo took to the podium, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, said his conference would seek to raise the state’s minimum wage from $7.25, cut taxes for the poor and underprivileged, and push for additional state funding for community colleges.

 

Cuomo is expected to expand on his plans and how to pay for them when he unveils his 2012-13 budget proposal on Jan. 17. writtenby: JCAMPBELL1@gannett.com