Regional Councils

The North Country Regional Economic Development Council or REDC, held its most recent meeting at Fort Drum last week. The idea was to give members from the region's seven counties greater insight into how the Army post interacts with the local economy. The council also took steps to implement a new program for water and sewer project infrastructure.  

During his visit to western New York on Thursday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo reacted to the backlash by Industrial Development Agencies (IDAs) against his executive budget proposal that would remove their powers to grant state sales tax exemptions.

In recent weeks IDAs across New York state have been pleading with the governor to rethink the proposed change. They argue it will strip them of their ability to manage local economic development projects.

The walls on the 55,000 square foot expansion started going up a few weeks ago, but company owners and state and local economic development officials still gathered Thursday at Currier Plastics in Auburn to throw some dirt around with gleaming shovels.

Currier was ceremonially breaking ground on an expansion paid for in part with state aid won during the first round of the Regional Economic Development Councils.

Using a now-familiar travel routine, Governor Andrew Cuomo made his sixth tour of New York regions to monitor the progress of projects funded through the Regional Economic Development Councils (REDC). 

It was the first visit undertaken since Hurricane Sandy devastated large areas of downstate New York, New Jersey and other coastal areas in the Northeast.

A lot of people see Plattsburgh’s Strand Theater and the Bombardier plant as symbols of a revitalized city. They represent a region with a vibrant arts scene and a growing manufacturing sector – a perfect place for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to tout the benefits of the economic development councils he created last year.

"Suffice this to say in the second year, it is working. It is happening," the governor said. "There is an energy in the North Country that is new, that is different that is growing, that is developing a moment, people believe, you can feel it!"