Sentences with phrase «economic development spending upstate»

In Buffalo on Tuesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo criticized state lawmakers and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli for expressing skepticism over the effectiveness of his economic development spending upstate.

Not exact matches

Cuomo proposed using some of a $ 4 billion surplus, which he acknowledged was a «one - shot» revenue source from numerous financial settlements, on infrastructure spending, education and for helping local governments find ways to share services as part of an overall economic development boost for the upstate region.

Lawyers representing six of the defendants have spent the past several weeks in a new letter - writing campaign to a federal judge seeking dismissal of the bid - rigging corruption charges leveled against individuals involved in several major upstate economic development programs, including the mega-construction project at Tesla's Riverbend site in South Buffalo.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday at the state Business Council's annual retreat in Bolton Landing gave what has become a sort of greatest - hits speech for his administration: A property tax cap, a self - imposed limit on annual spending increases, economic development spending and a tourism push that has paid out dividends of more people heading upstate.

The push and pull over the control of the economic development spending comes after the arrests last year of prominent upstate developers, former SUNY Polytechnic President Alain Kaloyeros and an ex-top aide and confidant to the governor, Joe Percoco, in a case stemming from kickbacks and bid rigging related to key economic development spending in New York.

Economic development spending has come under renewed scrutiny after the governor's former top aide was arrested last year and charged in a sweeping bid - rigging case that included prominent upstate developers who have received contracts under the state's job spending efforts.

State lawmakers want to see more oversight of economic development spending after the arrests of nine people last week in an alleged widespread scheme involving bid rigging and bribery within key projects designed to spur job creation upstate.

The push for those changes were prompted in part by the arrest last year of a formerly close aide to the governor, Joe Percoco, and the ex-president of SUNY Polytechnic, accused alongside prominent upstate developers of bribery and kickbacks in economic development spending.

Governor Cuomo has already proposed spending $ 1.5 billion of the surplus on a contest among seven upstate regions for three economic development grants worth $ 500 million each.

Cuomo spent a week in January rolling out his ambitious budget agenda, which contained plans for a new criminal justice system for teens who commit serious crimes, and a major upstate economic development program.

Amid a push to clean up Albany following a series of scandals that rocked the Senate and Assembly — including the convictions of both legislative leaders last year — as well as ongoing corruption probes into economic development spending in upstate New York, most voters, 56 percent to 27 percent, believe the measures approved in June won't lead to a significant reduction in fraud and corruption.

He is proposing to use $ 1.5 billion for an upstate economic development competition, send $ 1.3 billion to the Thruway Authority to defray the cost of the Tappan Zee replacement bridge and spend $ 500 million to develop high speed internet connections in rural areas.

He said Cuomo's upstate economic - development spending has failed to create jobs and triggered a corruption scandal.

With just three weeks to go until the April 1 budget deadline, Cuomo revealed granular details of his $ 10 billion spending plan for upstate, which includes two economic development competitions that would award approximately $ 90 million apiece to the 10 regions of the state.

So far, the governor has detailed plans to spend $ 3.3 billion: $ 1.5 billion will be doled out in a competition to spur economic development in three upstate regions; $ 1.3 billion will go to the Thruway Authority to help prevent toll hikes and offset the cost of building the replacement Tappan Zee Bridge; and $ 500 million will be used to build out broadband internet infrastructure in remote areas.

It had broad criteria for spending — eligible projects in New York City or Long Island need to «create or retain private - sector jobs» and «enhance the environment and quality of life for New York State residents» — but was included to offset $ 1.5 billion that Cuomo sought for an economic development competition upstate.

Earlier this month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo paid a visit to the centerpiece of his upstate economic development strategy: a massive, still - unfinished «gigafactory» taxpayers spent $ 750 million to build and equip for SolarCity, a money - losing company with a foggy future.