Gov. Kathy Hochul and the State of the State.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, in her first State-of-the-State address Jan. 5, outlined many plans and initiatives. She is the first woman governor of the state and took over for Gov. Andrew Cuomo who stepped down amid allegations of sexual misconduct in August.
Here is a rundown of local coverage:
Minority and Women-Owned Business
From the Albany Business Journal: The governor has a plan to create an easier minority- and women-owned business certification process. Some minority- and women-owned businesses have complained that certification and recertification is difficult and can take years, the story says. Ease must be balanced against fraudulent activity, which can make the process onerous. Then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo formed the MWBE in 2010, and last year, more than $3 billion in state contracts were awarded to qualifying businesses.
New York's Wadsworth Center
Also from the ABJ: The governor committed to rebuilding New York's Wadsworth Center, a public health lab in Albany, into a "world-class campus.” The project has been delayed for years. The intended location is 17 acres on the eastern end of the Harriman State Office Campus in Albany, the story says. Much of the story is based upon the governor’s briefing book that outlines her priorities.
UAlbany research and off-shore power
From the Daily Gazette: The Daily Gazette called the speech “far reaching” and “ambitious,” like the speeches of governors before her. She named initiatives specific to the Capital Region, the story says, including: $500 million in annual research funding for UAlbany and building an offshore wind power industry that will have a manufacturing facility in the Port of Albany. Two common threads quickly emerged in the reaction to her speech, the story says: leaders interviewed found something positive to say, but wanted to hear details. The story includes quotes and reaction from about a dozen lawmakers.
North Country
From the Adirondack Daily Enterprise: Gov. Kathy Hochul mentioned the North Country and Adirondacks only a few brief times, the story says, but proposed policies that would impact the region. The governor mentioned $100 million in relief to nearly 200,000 small businesses, expanded access to affordable childcare, a $1 billion middle-class property tax rebate, tax credits for COVID-related purchases for bars and restaurants, and a faster schedule of a $1.2 billion-dollar tax cut that was to take effect in 2025.
Gore, Lake Placid
From the Adirondack Explorer: Gov. Hochul mentioned the Adirondack Park in passing during her speech, the Explorer’s story says, but her briefing book she noted an unspecified investment to update the North Creek Ski Bowl at Gore Mountain, including ADA access and year-round use. Local officials appreciated the attention, they said, but in this story and others, they were wary of how best to make the changes and of the costs associated with them.