Cuomo launches council to spur jobs, development

Gov. Andrew Cuomo launched the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council on July 27 to redefine the relationship between the state government and businesses, in order to stimulate regional economic development and create jobs statewide. Cuomo made his announcement at SUNY Old Westbury.

The governor has been traveling around the state over the past few weeks, announcing 10 regional councils, which were created through executive order: the Capital Region, Central New York, Finger Lakes, Mid-Hudson, Mohawk Valley, New York City, North Country, Southern Tier, Western New York and Long Island councils.

The LIREDC will be co-chaired by Stuart Rabinowitz, Hofstra University’s president, and Kevin Law, the Long Island Association’s president, and will coordinate the development of both Nassau and Suffolk counties.

“Today we are putting into action a regional plan that confronts head-on the specific economic challenges facing Long Island,” Cuomo said. “These councils will have the tools they need to initiate regionally tailored projects that take advantage of our state’s many resources and create jobs for New Yorkers.”

According to Cuomo’s office, the councils represent a fundamental shift in the state’s approach to economic development, from a top-down development model to a community-based approach that emphasizes regions’ unique assets and harnesses local expertise. The councils were also created to empower each

region to set plans and priorities.

Currently, Cuomo said, the state’s economic development efforts are managed through dozens of state and local agencies, and there is no thread connecting all of the branches of government, which makes it difficult to execute economically sustainable plans regionally. The councils, he said, will bring together regional stakeholders to serve as a coordinated point of contact for economic development.

To support the councils, Cuomo made changes to the state’s economic development grant application process, and through a new consolidated funding application — which combines resources from dozens of existing programs — each council can apply for $1 billion in state funding for projects that are part of their strategy.

Under Cuomo’s plan, regional councils, businesses and other organizations will be able to apply for funding using the same application. The state will work to align state resources and policies, eliminate unnecessary barriers to growth and streamline the delivery of government services and programs to help carry out development plans.

Dan Perkins, vice president of government affairs for the Long Island Association, explained that of the $1 billion included in the program, $200 million will be available each year for regional councils, following the submission of a five-year regional plan — due this year on Nov. 15. The top four regions, decided by a state analysis, will receive $40 million each, and the remaining $40 million will be dispersed among the other six. Perkins said that each plan is required to follow a nearly 60-page handbook created by Cuomo’s office.