Governor Generally Skips Southern Tier Mentions in State of the State

Political watchers in the Southern Tier are finding a hard time finding local mentions in New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's latest State of the State speech.

Aside from a shout-out for Binghamton University Professor, Doctor Stanley Whittingham for winning the Nobel Prize for his work in developing lithium ion batteries, Broome and surrounding Southern Tier Counties got little acknowledgement or promises in Governor Andrew Cuomo’s 10^th State of the State address January 8.

The Governor noted the "upstate" region has not shown the progress of downstate and promised to continue to invest in areas outside of New York City.

Cuomo specifically proposed a new Education and Workforce Training Center in Syracuse, a drone-testing facility in the Mohawk Valley, redeveloping Buffalo’s Waterfront and building on the Finger Lakes Forward plan for Rochester.  

He also touted the importance of small businesses in calling for a 40% cut in their taxes from 6.5% to 4% this year.  

The Democrat is also calling for the legalization of recreational marijuana for adults but the Governor had little to say about the agriculture industry, which has been seeing increasing interest in the cultivation of industrial hemp in the Southern Tier.

Cuomo mentioned helping the growing beverage industry to operate in New York.

While calling for improvements in transportation, including exploring high-speed rail service between New York City, Albany and Buffalo, constructing new airports and renovations to existing airports, the third-term governor did not mention the Greater Binghamton Airport.

Even though, in repeating his commitment to the environment and green-energy business the Governor mentioned Doctor Whittingham and batteries that can power electric vehicles, Cuomo did not announce any funding for research or market development of that technology in the Southern Tier.

Legislators now have to look over the money needed to pay for any adopted programs with the state already facing a $6-billion budget deficit.

The next budget is due April first.

The Governor's State of the State message can be found at www.governor.ny.gov. view video: https://youtu.be/_QmlnFatM9E