Opening Act

Thomas F. O'Mara

January 10, 2013

It's always the opening act in New York State's annual legislative session: the governor delivers a State of the State address that, by design, lays out a broad and commonly ambitious agenda.

Tradition has long held that this kickoff to the session -- the presentation of the governor's vision -- is chock full of ideas but short on specifics on how these ideas will be carried out or paid for. The true nuts and bolts of the agenda arrive a few weeks later, during the presentation of the executive budget, which Governor Cuomo is scheduled to unveil this year on Tuesday, January 22, 2013. That's where we find the all-important details of specific proposals and the Legislature can then begin to better determine their impact on communities across New York.

So it goes with Governor Cuomo's third State of the State message, delivered to a full house yesterday in the Empire State Convention Center in Albany.

O’Mara and Palmesano welcome Watkins Glen High School students to the Capitol

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In the Assembly Chamber, from left to right: Senator O’Mara, Travis Durfee, Zachary Burrows, Patrick Madaffari, James Jensen, Haley Dean, Ali LaMoreaux, Isabella Bond, David Armstrong, and Assemblyman Palmesano.

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“We need to restore the financial incentive for local governments to continue to root out Medicaid abuse, fraud, and waste," said Senator O'Mara.

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Senator O'Mara's legislation would establish a program to collect, transport, recycle and dispose of out-of-service solar panels.

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The grants are awarded through New York’s Library Construction Grant Program, which received $19 million in the 2016-17 state budget to allocate this year’s awards.