Cuomo will “re-imagine” state government
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his new economic plan for New York State Wednesday. The governor pledged the expected funds to repair the state’s infrastructure, especially bridges, many of which have been scheduled for repair for years. Cuomo admitted that the project was challenging, but expressed his confidence in achieving success. “This agenda that we have laid out today is an ambitious agenda, more ambitious than anything this government has done in decades and decades and decades,” Cuomo told the audience at the announcement. “But it is an agenda that I know we can do, because we are New Yorkers.”
According to the administration the infrastructure improvements alone will cost over $25 billion. The crown jewel will be the replacement of the 4,000+ foot Tappan Zee bridge, which crosses the Hudson at its widest point, a project which will cost approximately $5 billion. “We have a great opportunity to rebuild New York,” Cuomo told reporters. “We need private-sector jobs, and we also need to rebuild our infrastructure to keep New York competitive and safe.” Attention has been focused on dangerous bridges after the deadly collapse of a highway bridge crossing the Mississippi River was blamed on age and inadequate inspections.
Cuomo also pushed his gambling legalization proposal which will supposedly help to pay for the projects. Senate Minority Leader Brian Kolb, a Republican, said he felt the proposals were good but that funding was not yet fully secured. “I think talking about jobs, jobs, jobs is what we should be [doing],” Kolb said after the speech. “I think the devil’s in the details about how we’re going to pay for it.”
Kodak may be headed into bankruptcy
The Wall Street Journal has reported that the beleaguered Eastman Kodak Company is putting its legal house in order in preparation for a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. The report did severe damage to Kodak’s stock, which plummeted to 45 cents during afternoon trading. The Journal theorizes that Kodak will be forced to file for bankruptcy if it fails to sell intellectual property, including imaging patents.
Temperatures will rise into the middle 30s today with a chance of flurries. Overnight lows will be in the upper 20s.
