Gov. Cuomo in Purchase to sign state budget

Gov. Andrew Cuomo was at Manhattanville College in Purchase April 5 for a ceremonial signing of the state’s fiscal year 2012-2013 budget. 

Cuomo and dozens of state legislators and municipal officials were on hand to mark the March 30 passage of the state’s second consecutive on-time budget. 

“We didn’t really refer to it as a budget when we did it; we called it an overall reform plan, because it’s more than a budget – it’s a plan that sets this state on a different trajectory,” Cuomo said.

Following the 2 percent tax cap and middle class tax cuts enacted last year by the Legislature, Cuomo said it was time to bring the focus around to economic development. 

“We’re working on a concept we call entrepreneurial government,” he said.

The state, under the newly-enacted budget, will attempt to stimulate the region’s economy through the New York Works initiative, a capital plan that involves the coordination of all 45 state agencies and authorities and includes $1.2 billion in accelerated funding for road and bridge rehabilitation projects around the state. 

Also included under the New York Works umbrella is the construction of a new Tappan Zee Bridge, which is expected to commence later this year. 

“We’re going to rebuild the Tappan Zee Bridge, we’re going to do it now, we’re going to create jobs, and we’re going to make it safe and better for the people of the state of New York,” he said. 

The budget was passed March 30 near-unanimously by both the state Assembly and Senate.