The pro-business advocacy group Unshackle Upstate has listed its agenda for 2015. While the group's leader says Albany has done some good things, more needs to be accomplished.
The shape of the new political year begins with Governor Cuomo delivering his State-of-the-State message. Then, later his month he reveals his budget plans.
New Unshackle Executive Director Greg Biryla is looking for some economic development items for Upstate. He wants the brownfields cleanup finally agreed to and passed, after the governor vetoed an extension on Monday. He says it's so important to cities like Buffalo.
For Biryla, the big issue is what to do with billions of dollars in settlements from badly-behaving banks.
"A one-time sum of money should be spent on one-time expenditures, not on re-occurring costs. That's just basic economics," Biryla said.
"Our position and our suggestion, what we are pushing for out of the governor and the Legislature is to allocate the lion's share of that money towards infrastructure investment...roads, bridges, sidewalks, sewer system repairs."
Biryla says some of the money might be shifted to construction of the Tappan Zee Bridge. Since the governor won't explain how the bridge is being paid for, the Unshackle leader doesn't want it financed by raising tolls along the rest of the Thruway.
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