Gov. Cuomo at CNY Biotechnology Research Center
/ Criag McDowell
SYRACUSE -- Governor Cuomo toured SUNY Upstate Medical University, the Central New York Biotechnology Research Center, and other businesses in Onondaga County as part of a Regional Economic Development Council Progress tour.
The governor is looking for ways to grow the private sector, and watching progress that's sprouted since launching the regional economic councils last year.
“New York no longer has a one size fits all approach to economic development, and now we are seeing the benefits of this new way of thinking throughout the state,” Cuomo said in a media release. “As you can see in the Syracuse area, the regional council has developed a plan that fits its region best and that plan is creating jobs, growing the economy and transforming neighborhoods.”
The regional economic development councils get local leaders on board to help direct the state to spur employment and regional assets, often capitalizing on high-tech industries already in the area.
There is $1.4 billion invested in Syracuse’s urban core alone, but the resurgence goes beyond the city limits.
Oswego, Auburn, Cortland, and areas beyond are helping boost the economy.
Cuomo says thinking outside map boundary lines to work together will help make visions a reality.
"Forget your government subdivisions, I'm a city, I'm a county, I'm a town. That's not the way it works. The economy doesn't see the boundaries on a map. The economy works in a region," says Cuomo.
He says he’s already seen major progress in the last year.
"The cranes are in the air. When you have cranes in the air, it means you're building. It means you're developing. It means you're moving forward," the governor says.
After the tour, Tuesday afternoon, neighbors learned more about the competition to get millions of dollars in tax breaks on the heels of the success of last year's competition for regional economic grants.
Tuesday kicked off the Statewide Regional Economic Development Council Progress tour.
