January 16, 2014
By Jonathan Drapkin / For the Times Herald-Record
Even as we pore over the 230 pages of the full text of the governor’s State of the State message, we take note of the many positive statements we’ve heard, as well as the numerous complaints as to why the Hudson Valley did not receive more attention.
In essence, it is necessary to view his speech in the context of a year in which one of the largest public infrastructure projects ever — the Tappan Zee Bridge — has begun and in which the 40-year debate over casinos has been resolved with the good possibility that two of them will be sited here.
Still, was the region mentioned directly as much as we would have liked? No. Are there some new initiatives that seem to cut out part of the Hudson Valley? Yes.
Instead of complaining or settling into negativity, let’s take a moment to suggest that part of the blame for not having more direct connections may have to do with our own lack of initiative. It’s our job now to take the governor’s speech and proactively make our interest known in some of the new opportunities Gov. Andrew Cuomo laid out last week.
1. For starters, let’s talk about the governor’s newly proposed SUNY College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity. That there should be such an institution is both obvious and brilliant. So allow us to argue that the new SUNY College be located at Stewart International Airport.
Stewart is a facility that begs to be more heavily integrated into the essential services of the state. It shares its name, much of its infrastructure and its very air space with an Air National Guard base, home of the 105th Airlift Wing and the C-17 aircraft.
With a location at Stewart, the new college would be near some of the hardest-hit locations from the recent superstorms, some 60 miles from the predicted onslaught of our next round of tidal flooding and 100 miles from the state capital.
2. Next, let’s suggest the Hudson Valley is the perfect place for the Upstate-Downstate Food-to-Table Agriculture Summit. The summit, also announced in the State of the State message, seeks to link the upstate agriculture industry with downstate consumers and markets. What better location than the true geographic crossroads between the New York City market and the upstate farmers.
3. Finally, allow us to make a plea for truly equitable distribution of the “Smart Schools” bond referendum funding. While we are regionalists and find it is often useful to think of our region as one, we also believe that, when it comes to the distribution of school funds, our region is as diverse as can be, and that funding for education needs to be based on need.
All school districts are not created equal.
Even here in this one region, the disparity between so-called rich and poor districts can be stunning.
So let us ask that the true measure of our schools be taken so that our neediest get their fair share.
Let’s learn from this last State of the State and vow to take center stage next time, and for all the right reasons.
Jonathan Drapkin is the president and CEO of Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress, a nonprofit research, policy and planning group that seeks regional solutions to increase the vitality of the region. He can be reached at .
