Local officials react to State of State

Jan. 9—PLATTSBURGH — Gov. Kathy Hochul's State of the State address Tuesday hit on several key notes that North Country leaders liked to hear.

"As with every State of the State, there are elements for everyone to agree and to disagree with," North Country Chamber of Commerce President Garry Douglas said.

"What we look for are whether subjects important to economic development in the North Country are being placed on the table for what is really the starting point of further development and discussion in the coming months of the legislative session. In this sense, we welcome the Governor's renewed prioritization of housing and are ready with our regional partners to participate in defining helpful approaches for the Adirondacks and the broader North Country."

Douglas said he also welcomes continued attention to the MTA, which is a vital customer for our region's transportation equipment manufacturers, and commitment to fresh funding for the FAST NY Program which supports infrastructure for the creation of shovel ready industrial sites in places like ours where additional ready space is in demand.

"This can be especially helpful, for example, with further redevelopment of the old Clinton County Airport property," he said, adding, "We are also pleased the extensive document gives continued emphasis to state support for workforce development and for state agriculture including dairy."

The chamber is about to conduct its Annual Issue Survey on key state and federal matters and, as always, Douglas said, will be actively joined with regional colleagues in promoting the North Country economy in Albany in the coming months.

The plan includes a chamber led Adirondack Economic Coalition involving the North Country Chamber, ROOST, the Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages, the Adirondack Economic Development Corp., and the Lake Champlain-Lake George Regional Planning Board with a shared focus on housing, broadband/cell service, and tourism and economic development.

JONES

State Assemblyman D. Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay Lake) said the State of the State was a broad brush of topics.

"The real details will come next week when she releases her budget. Then we will see what points we like and don't like," Jones said.

Jones said he was pleased to see that the governor mentioned housing, mental health and agriculture as key points the state will look to improve on.

"I was glad to hear she mentioned agriculture because that is big up here and a lot of farmers are struggling so I like the fact that she mentioned that," he said.

Jones said he was also intrigued with Hochul's comments about the future of AI.

"It sounds like she wants be a nationwide research leader, which could mean some high-paying jobs for New Yorkers, which could be good," he said.

Housing affordability and public safety were also topics the governor mentioned that caught Jones's attention.

"A lot of our residents are struggling with affordable housing and people are worried about safety, and it is one of our top jobs to make sure people feel safe and that they are safe," he said.

HENRY

Clinton County Legislature Chairman Mark Henry (R-Area 3, Chazy) said the State of the State address emphasized the strength of the state.

"In the North Country, we are particularly strong, and we are committed to promote economic development initiatives. We appreciate the governor's recommitment to the FAST NY Shovel-Ready program, which could help initiatives such as infrastructure development at the Clinton County Business Innovation Gateway," Henry said.

"We also applaud her commitment to help the struggling agricultural community, which is a staple to our North Country economy. However, some highlighted initiatives pose challenges as they manifest as unfunded mandates to local governments. The New York State Association of Counties estimates that the state still owes approximately $1 billion to counties across the state, and as much as $7 million of that is owed to Clinton County, as a result of the state intercepting federal funds which resulted in new Medicaid costs by retaining Enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Program funding. Caution is needed to avoid imposing unfunded mandates on counties, potentially burdening residents through regressive property taxes. Instead, we urge the governor and the legislature to explore avenues for counties to recover funds, such as enabling the collection of taxes on Airbnb, similar to hotels. Clinton County looks forward to collaborative efforts for a state budget that ensures safety and prosperity for all residents."

CASHMAN

Town of Plattsburgh Supervisor Michael Cashman said he was pleased to hear the governor talked about housing and mental health.

"In the face of New York's housing crisis, I believe proactive measures are crucial to ensure sustainable growth and affordability," Cashman said.

"Governor Hochul's commitment to addressing the shortage is evident through her ambitious plans. By incentivizing local governments, we can collectively work towards building a stronger and more affordable future. The Town of Plattsburgh continues to be committed to making housing a priority. We have lead over these last eight years and that work continues."

Cashman said that as supervisor and as a trained professional counselor, he strongly endorses the governor's mental health reform.

"This commitment addresses gaps, prioritizes youth mental health, and emphasizes collaborative approaches. For the North Country this is particularly critical, recognizing and addressing unique challenges in mental health care accessibility, stigma, isolation and treatment/support. It's a vital step towards fostering healthier communities."

STEC

But not all local leaders were as optimistic.

"Poll after poll has shown that a majority of New Yorkers believe our state is heading in the wrong direction. Recent data indicated that we continue to lose residents to other states in record numbers. It's clear the status quo just isn't working and that a new direction is necessary," State Sen. Dan Stec (R-Queensbury) said.

"This year's State of the State Address was an opportunity for Governor Hochul to stake out a new course for New York, rein in the costly tax-and-spend policies that have caused our budget to escalate and business and families to leave. and while she acknowledged these issues, the overall vision she presented fails to meet the realities we face.

"Ensuring our children receive a quality education has always been a top priority of mine. I've heard regularly from our region's educators that an investment in literacy-building skills and development is essential. To that end, I'm encouraged by the governor's proposal to improve literacy in New York State and look forward to learning more about it in next week's budget proposal."

Stec said that since first becoming senator, he's called for a plan-of-action concerning closed correctional facilities in the region. The North Country and Adirondacks are home to several of these sites, which were crucial to providing jobs and economic development to the region, Stec said.

"I've heard directly from local officials on the need to get these sites back in use and have sponsored legislation to do just that. Hearing the governor heed these calls by proposing they get put towards an affordable housing plan is a good start."

Stec said on other fronts, the governor said far too little or offered mixed messaging.

"She claimed New York is safer than ever, then referred to a drastic increase in theft as an 'utter breakdown of the social order.' Similarly, the governor alternately touted subway safety while proposing plans to address the disturbing rise in subway assaults," he said.

"For years, my Senate Republican colleagues and I have called for a full repeal of the state's unsafe bail reform laws and other substantive public safety measures and yet again, the governor has offered unclear solutions to this serious issue.

"Our state continues to lose residents to other states for better opportunities and more affordability elsewhere. Time and again, my colleagues and I have pointed this out and called for economic and regulatory initiatives that make New York more affordable and more hospitable to economic development and job growth."

While the governor did acknowledge outmigration, Stec said, her address did not provide the solutions necessary to reverse the trend and jumpstart the economy.

"Instead of outlining a plan to rein in our state's high tax-and-spend climate or create good-paying career opportunities for our residents, the vision outlined by the governor in the State of the State address seem to only continue these negative trends," he said.

"But like they say, the devil is in the details. Next week is the governor's Executive Budget presentation. I look forward to seeing if and how these serious issues are addressed and how we can ensure the 2024 Legislative Session can best improve the lives of all New Yorkers."

STEFANIK

In a statement, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-Schuylerville) slammed the speech, arguing that "Corrupt Albany Democrats should be ashamed of the destruction of our state under their failed leadership."

"While New Yorkers struggle to afford groceries due to Bidenflation, Kathy Hochul doubles down on their pain by committing to spending taxpayer dollars on ridiculous priorities like pools," Stefanik said in the statement. "Kathy Hochul's attack on our Second Amendment drove the country's oldest gun manufacturer out of our state, and her anti-business policies threaten to cost millions of New Yorkers their jobs."

E-mail: jlotemplio@pressrepublican.com

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