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PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (WCAX) New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is taking on the Trump administration and making some promises to the North County in his State of the State address. Our Kelly O'Brien sat down with SUNY Plattsburgh Political Science Chair Harvey Shantz to watch the State of the State address.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo
"I must have watched most of them for the last two decades," Schantz noted.
He liked what was proposed by the governor. In a big state, we wanted to know what the impacts here in the North Country would be. And in his address, Cuomo said they are revamping Gore and Whiteface Mountains.
"Governor Cuomo has been active in trying to bring people for tourism in upstate New York," Schantz said.
Two other issues the governor brought up affect North Country residents along with the rest of the state. Cuomo pledged to fight back on federal tax reform, calling it an assault on states' rights.
"The argument that the governor is making is that because New York and California were losers in the last presidential election, our states are paying for it with the new tax bill," Schantz said.
Another challenge he wants to hit head-on is the opioid epidemic.
"Nationwide, we are witnessing a shocking phenomenon. We are dying younger. Last year, life expectancy for Americans declined for the second year in a row," Cuomo said.
"He wants to try to put a rein in on the manufacturers of opioids, as well," Schantz said.
Cuomo even mentioned the North Country specifically right at the end, highlighting recent success at Norsk Titanium and investing in the airport.
"So he mentioned LaGuardia and Kennedy and Plattsburgh International Airport all together, so that shows me he's very aware of the existence of Plattsburgh," Schantz said.
There were several proposals affecting the North Country. WCAX News will dive into those in the coming days.
