Senator Catherine Young (R-Olean)
ALBANY – Communities across Senator Cathy Young’s 57th Senate District region will have access to economic development funding that was included in this year’s state budget.
According to a release from the Senator’s office, among the investments included in the final budget were $1.5 billion for the Upstate Revitalization Initiative, $400 million for transformative investment programs, $500 million to support the statewide expansion of broadband access, and $7 million for the Workforce Development Institute. According to Senator Young, much of that funding will make its way to the district –which includes both Chautauqua and Cattaraugus Counties.
The Upstate Revitalization Initiative will provide assistance for business growth, tourism, infrastructure, and other efforts to revitalize upstate communities.
The Transformative Investment Program is a $400 million multi-year investment in regionally significant economic development initiatives that create or retain private sector jobs.
And under the “New NY Broadband Initiative,” $500 million will be invested to launch a statewide broadband program that will establish high-speed broadband access by the end of 2018. The Initiative will work to eradicate this disparity, by providing access for businesses, hospitals, and schools to indispensable information. As of July 2014, more than half of the population in Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, and Livingston Counties did not have access to high-speed broadband.
Leave a Reply