Governor Cuomo Brings "Capital For A Day" to Central NY, Announces 47-Point Plan to Advance the Region

September 30, 2015

From the Office of Governor Cuomo

Governor Announces $77.8 Million in Support for Regional Plan

Governor's Cabinet Travels to Syracuse to Identify Ways to Enhance Economic Opportunity and Strengthen Communities in Central N

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today traveled to Syracuse to bring the third phase of his "Capital for a Day" initiative to the Central New York region. The Governor's cabinet met with community members, business leaders and partners in government to identify ways the State can be a partner in enhancing economic opportunity and strengthening communities in Central New York. As a result of feedback received, the Governor announced a comprehensive 47-point plan to advance Central New York which includes investing more than $30 million in the region’s workforce training and higher education system, nearly $13 million in upgrades to the region’s infrastructure and more than $19 million to house and help the most vulnerable Central New Yorkers.

“Today we brought the full force of State government to Central New York to help the region move forward with its own vision for a sustainable economic future,” said Governor Cuomo. “From local businesses to affordable housing to the environment, we are investing in this region’s assets like never before. This was about working together with local leaders to build on the progress of the past few years, and I think that after today you are going to see that rate of progress continue well into the future.”

Capital for a Day began by Governor Cuomo hosting a morning cabinet meeting where senior State officials and the Governor's cabinet were welcomed to Central New York. Attendees included Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, Empire State Development CEO Howard Zemsky, and Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney.

Later in the morning, the Governor traveled the State Fairgrounds where he announced that Super DIRT Week, a multi-day event that attracts more than 70,000 race fans from around the world, will find a new home in the region at the Central New York Raceway Park for the next ten years. Super DIRT Week has become an economic driver for the region, generating $12 million in spending every year. To grow Super DIRT Week in the region, the Governor additionally announced that the State will invest $5 million in capital improvements at Central New York Raceway Park and $250,000 to launch a I LOVE NY marketing campaign.

This afternoon, Governor Cuomo toured the construction progress of Hotel Syracuse and the Syracuse Inner Harbor Hotel. Following the tours, the Governor traveled to the Anheuser-Busch InBev manufacturing facility in Baldwinsville, where he announced that the State will provide $2 million in Excelsior Tax Credits to the company to bolster its expansion of this facility. This $62 million investment will retain 443 jobs at this location. More information is available here.

Senior members of the Governor’s administration then held a concluding cabinet meeting where the Governor's cabinet reported back on ways the State can help create real, lasting solutions to enhance the community. In the cabinet meeting, a comprehensive, 47-point plan was announced to advance Central New York. The plan is a result of more than two dozen meetings with community members, business leaders and partners in government, and includes the addition of new funds, programs and initiatives outlined in full at the bottom of this release

Today was the third Capital for a Day hosted by the Governor’s administration; the first two were held in the Finger Lakes and Mohawk Valley regions this summer.

Top Announcements in the Plan Include:

$18 million to establish the innovative 5-campus SUNY Labs to Jobs Consortium
$12.9 million to construct the Alternative Fuels Facility at Morrisville State College
$11 million to make improvements along State Route 104 in the Town of Oswego
$7.9 million to increase housing and services for the homeless through the Rescue Mission Alliance of Syracuse
$5 million in capital improvements to enhance Central New York Raceway Park
$3.4 million to replace the North Burdick Street Bridge
$2.5 million to assist Central New York farmers to implement best management practices on agricultural lands

Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney said: “Today was another great example of how the partnership between state and local governments is transforming Central New York. I am very excited for what lies ahead thanks to the progress and connections that have come together today, and I want to thank the Governor and his team for making our needs such a high priority.”

Oswego County Legislative Chairman Kevin Gardner said: Super DIRT Week has been a Central New York tradition for as long as I can remember. It’s a great demonstration of competitive racing, and a wonderful opportunity for people to bring their families out for a one-of-a-kind experience. Now, Oswego County is going to play home to this tradition for the next ten years, and that’s great news for our local community. It’s great to have the Governor’s support, and I’m excited to see Super DIRT Week continue growing in the years ahead.”

Syracuse Mayor Stephanie A. Miner said: “In a state and nation blessed with abundance, it is our responsibility to help in the shadows of life who are homeless or housing vulnerable. The City of Syracuse has taken steps, including participating in the national Mayors challenge to end veterans homelessness, the creation of the Downtown outreach team to interface with our local homeless population, and relocating over 100 housing vulnerable families each year into adequate housing, to address the human needs of people in our community. I appreciate that state agencies, too, are making homelessness in cities a priority.”

Senator John A. DeFrancisco said: “This level of collaboration with so many state and local agencies is a great experience for our region. By coming together to focus on local priorities for improvement, we are able to build new bridges to economic growth that will benefit Central New York for years to come."

Senator David Valesky said: “I want to thank the Governor, his administration, and all of our local leaders who came together today to put Central New York first. By making our region the capital for the day, we’ve been able to bring an unparalleled level of focus and support to some of our most pressing needs and greatest opportunities, and I believe that this intense degree of partnership will yield dividends for Central New York long into the future.”

Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli said: “I want to thank Governor Cuomo for bringing all of the state government's attention and focus to Central New York today. From our public colleges and universities to our first-rate attractions and businesses, we have some of the greatest local assets around – and today was about investing in them like never before. I look forward to our continued partnership and am thrilled to see the long-term impacts of today’s collaboration.

The Governor’s plan builds on the State’s investments in Central New York over the last four and a half years, including: $50 million to transform the State Fairgrounds into a year-round, multi-use facility; $30 million to support the County’s Solvay Community Development program and the construction of the Onondaga Lakeview Amphitheater, which debuted its first show this summer; and $8 million to redevelop Inner Harbor by turning a brownfield into a clean and thriving commercial and residential area. Under the leadership of Governor Cuomo, the State has invested in the region’s future economic growth by supporting the redevelopment of Hotel Syracuse, establishing the Central New York Film Hub and making critical upgrades to strengthen the Port of Oswego.

The Governor’s 47-Point Plan to Advance Central New York Includes:

Enhancing Economic Opportunity

Establish the innovative SUNY Labs to Jobs Consortium in Central New York. The State will provide $18 million in NYSUNY2020 award funding to establish the consortium, which consists of five SUNY campuses sharing seven advanced labs located across the region. The labs will provide students with spaces that simulate various workplaces and house workforce development training in fields such as medical, engineering and business. The consortium will be led by Onondaga Community College and includes SUNY Oswego, Upstate Medical University, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and Morrisville State College. More information about the consortium is available here.
Construct the 35,000 square-foot Alternative Fuels Facility at Morrisville State College. The State will provide $12.9 million in NYSUNY2020 award funding for the state-of-the-art building, which will include classrooms and shop space to host workforce development training in high-demand fields such as renewable energy, diesel technology, and agricultural engineering.
Provide $2 million in Excelsior Tax Credits to Anheuser-Busch InBev to bolster its manufacturing operations in the region and State. Anheuser-Busch InBev will invest $62 million and retain 443 jobs at this location. More information is available here.
Execute a long-term agreement with Central New York Raceway Park in 2016 to establish Super DIRT Week’s new location for the next 10 years.
Invest $5 million in capital improvements including a clubhouse, grandstand and oval track at the Central New York Raceway Park, strengthening its capacity to become the region’s new host of Super DIRT Week.
Promote the Central New York Raceway Park as the new home of Super DIRT Week and boost tourism to Central New York by investing $250,000 to launch a related I LOVE NY advertising campaign.
Provide $250,000 to establish the State’s Craft Beverage “Regional Marketing” Grant Program. As the first of its kind, the program will build on the success of the Craft Beverage Grant program announced by the Governor at the 2014 Beer, Wine, Spirits and Cider Summit. The program will support marketing initiatives that target craft beverage businesses located within Central New York as well as projects that support facility upgrades that directly enhance tourism in the region.
Combat financial exploitation of the elderly and vulnerable persons in Central New York through the investment of a $300,000 federal grant to strengthen and support programs for abused, neglected, and financially exploited adults. The funding will support a two-year pilot program to expand Adult Protective Services in Onondaga and Queens Counties, while serving as a blueprint for the rest of the state.
Strengthen the OTDA Noncustodial Parent Program with an investment of approximately $82,000 to provide financial stability and alleviate underemployment and unemployment among noncustodial parents, serving approximately 200 noncustodial parents Onondaga and Oswego Counties.
Invest $1.8 million in Cayuga Milk Ingredients LLC, a dairy-products processor, for the purchase of energy efficient equipment and provide low-cost power through the State’s ReChargeNY program that will support 52 new jobs, $98 million in capital investments, and further the growth of the agriculture industry in Central New York.
Launch the region's first-ever Girls Who Code club to encourage and help young women develop their computer science skills and prepare them for careers in the fast-growing technology sector. With an initial $20,000 in State support, the club will be led by Matthew Harbinger, a New York State Master Teacher of Computer Science at Cicero North Syracuse High School.

Strengthening Communities

Build new housing for the homeless in Syracuse through a $7.9 million investment in the Rescue Mission Alliance of Syracuse. The funding will help with the rehabilitation and expansion of an existing building to develop 128 permanent supportive housing units, including 65 units for homeless adults with mental health and/or substance abuse issues. Residents of these units will receive supportive services including job readiness, medical screening, referrals, and case management.
Expand housing for homeless families in Auburn through a $6.4 million investment in the Auburn Housing Authority. This funding will support the construction of 28 new units of permanent and transitional housing.
Provide expanded housing opportunities for homeless families in Madison County through a $1 million grant to the Madison County Community Action Program to construct permanent housing.
Expand the Office of New Americans’ Legal Counsel Program to deliver additional immigrant legal services for 125 refugees and immigrants in the Central New York region that will provide them with legal assistance to become U.S. citizens.
Provide $500,000 to Oswego County Opportunities to rehabilitate transitional housing for homeless youth.
Deploy the Department of Financial Services’ Mobile Command Center to Central New York to offer advice and assistance to local consumers. The Mobile Command Center was deployed today to the Cortland Free Library, and tomorrow to Seymour Library at 173 Genesee St., Auburn from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The deployment is focused on assistance related to two specific issues: homeowners at risk of foreclosure and borrowers facing difficulties with student loans.
Provide $8.7 million in financial savings to municipalities in Central New York through the refinancing of water and wastewater State Revolving Fund loans.
Designate the Oswego Canal Corridor, Hiawatha-Lodi in Syracuse, and the City of Fulton as Brownfield Opportunity Areas to expand economic redevelopment. These areas will now qualify for enhanced State Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP) tax credits and the State will provide an additional $2.2 million in grants to jumpstart redevelopment.
Engage 50 at-risk, out-of-school youth through the Urban Youth Jobs Program and inform them of services and incentives available to connect them with jobs or career services. Five leading Central New York businesses – with a combined 350 job openings – are now certified with the Urban Youth Jobs Program.
Partner with 50 key Central New York community stakeholders, business groups and worker advocates to combat worker exploitation. The Advisory Committee for Governor Cuomo’s Exploited Worker Task Force will engage local organizations representing key industries in the region to provide legislative, regulatory and administrative recommendations to the Governor.
Provide local officials with free access to the State’s parks volunteer management platform to help them attract and leverage volunteers to improve and support Central New York parks.

Emergency Preparedness

Provide $2.7 million for projects in the Madison County NY Rising Community Reconstruction Plan to address persistent damage from the severe flash flooding that impacted communities throughout the county in June 2013, including $1.9 million for the design and construction of an Oneida Department of Public Works garage and related facilities, as well as $800,000 to Madison County for countywide stream bank stabilization, restoration and culverts improvements.
Strengthen New York’s snow removal fleet for rapid response during extreme weather events. As part of a statewide training campaign, the State Department of Transportation’s Equipment Operating Instructors will get trained on all snow removal equipment to be ready for emergency deployment.

Investing in Infrastructure

Launch Affordable Solar for All, a $6 million statewide program to increase access to solar energy for low- and moderate- income homeowners. Over 126,000 Central New York households are eligible to participate in the program.
Invest $3.4 million to replace the North Burdick Street Bridge in Fayetteville and enhance its resiliency to protect against damage from future flooding. The bridge serves as a primary access route for emergency vehicles to and from hospitals in Syracuse.
Provide funding for the $2.6 million construction of the second phase of the South Street Reconstruction Project in Auburn. The project will create wide shared-use lanes for bicyclists and sidewalks on both sides of the street – enhancing the connection of the Harriet Tubman Home to the rest of the South Street historic district.
Expedite an $11 million highway improvement project to create a modern transportation corridor along a 3.7-mile segment of State Route 104 in Oswego.

Improving Health and Wellness

Establish a new State Office of Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Services opioid treatment center at Conifer Park in Liverpool. The State will also provide certification for additional medication-assisted therapy to be offered in the Syracuse area at a for-profit substance use disorder treatment provider that will allow for up to 100 new patients to participate in outpatient addiction services.
Launch a $3 million statewide public awareness campaign to educate Central New Yorkers of the importance of flu vaccinations. The campaign will feature TV, radio and digital ads as well as social media and will run from October through January.
Provide $500,000 to support a statewide multi-agency public awareness campaign combatting the use of synthetic cannabinoids. Use of synthetic cannabinoids is on the rise and is emerging as a serious health problem statewide and in Central New York.
Provide $250,000 to create two new opioid treatment support positions to help Central New Yorkers access care for opioid addiction and other substance use disorders. $100,000 will assist in the hiring of a family support navigator and $150,000 will be used to hire a county-based peer advocate in Onondaga County.
Provide $2 million to unify and expand psychiatric services at the Hutchings Psychiatric Center’s Madison Street Clinic in downtown Syracuse. This funding will expand medical facilities within the current clinic and allow for the integration and coordination of medical care and mental health services. The facility will increase the integrated clinic’s capacity by 1,800 patients and facilitate better physical and mental health outcomes for Central New York residents.
Provide $1.25 million to combat childhood obesity in Syracuse. The Onondaga County Health Department, though the Department of Health’s Creating Healthy Schools and Communities Initiative, will receive $250,000 annually over five years to reduce rates of student obesity, which are especially high in Syracuse.

Expanding Access to Recreation

Host a State fishing tournament on Onondaga Lake in 2016. Efforts to clean up Onondaga Lake have transformed the lake from one of the most polluted in the country to recreational asset that is home to more than 50 species of fish.
Provide $250,000 to execute critical upgrades to the boat launch located on MudLock, Cayuga Lake.
Construct a year-round universal fishing access and boat launch at Sandy Pond in Oswego County. The State will provide $250,000 for the project which will also include a canoe and kayak launch.
Invest $2.6 million for a safe docking area in Brewerton for barges, tour boats, and pleasure boats on the Erie Canal. A new pier will provide the opportunity for increased tourism in Oswego County and construction will be completed in time for the 2016 boating and tourism season.
Provide more than $125,000 to design and construct streetscape improvements in Brewerton to strengthen the business district, improve community appearance and enhance access to the Oneida Lake waterfront. Improvements will include enhanced parking, trees and landscaping, as well as decorative lighting and benches along Bennett Street in Brewerton.
Expand access to Cazenovia Lake at Helen L. McNitt State Park in Madison County. The State will perform $90,000 in enhancements, including the construction of a new walkway from the parking lot to a set of wooden stairs and a boardwalk that will connect to a canoe and kayak launch.
Launch a partnership between New York State and Onondaga County to build a new visitor’s center at the boat launch at Onondaga Lake.
Provide $750,000 in funding to improve access to the new Lakeview Amphitheater from Onondaga Lake and the Loop the Lake Trail in Onondaga County.

Protecting the Environment

Provide $2.5 million to assist Central New York farmers to implement best management practices on agricultural lands to prevent water pollution, reduce erosion and limit harmful sediments in local waterways. The funding will be allocated to 11 projects in the region through the Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Program.
Invest $50,000 in Cayuga and Madison County Soil and Water Conservation Districts to develop initiatives that address soil quality, encourage greater crop yields and protect water resources from pollution. The funding will be directed through the Ecosystem Based Management Soil Health Mini Grants program.
Provide $200,000 to Cortland County to enhance its recycling operations and increase recycling rates throughout the county.
Provide $150,000 in grants for agricultural waste collection programs in Madison County and surrounding counties to increase recycling and provide cost savings for farmers and municipalities.
Establish a Pollution Prevention Institute project to increase the diversion of organic materials in the Central New York region out of the waste stream. The project will analyze the waste streams of large food scrap generators including grocery stores, hospitality centers, colleges and universities and hospitals to identify opportunities for diversion.

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