New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced several expensive infrastructure projects that may involve bonding in his annual state of the state address.
Cuomo proposed a $2 billion "smart schools" bond referendum. This would provide money to schools so that they could buy electronic tablets, computers, interactive whiteboards, and bring high-speed broadband to schools and their communities.
Cuomo made several announcements about transportation improvements.
He said that it is unacceptable that one of New York City's two primary airports, LaGuardia Airport, is ranked the worst in the country. The state is going to assume management responsibility from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for construction at LaGuardia and the city's other airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Cuomo said.
The state will advance the construction of a new central terminal at LaGuardia.
Air cargo business at Kennedy airport has been declining in the past decade. Cuomo is proposing upgrading the airport's aging cargo infrastructure.
The New York Department of Transportation is to do a feasibility study on connecting I-81 in Watertown to I-87 to Champlain, improving North Country access. Watertown is about 60 miles north of Syracuse and Champlain is about 25 miles south of Montreal and just south of the Canadian border. They are 154 miles apart by the shortest available road route.
