O’Mara on new Cuomo task force: Don't Forget Upstate

Albany, N.Y., April 20—At his daily COVID-19 press briefing at the Capitol earlier today, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the creation of a “Reimagine New York Task Force” to begin working on restructuring New York State government in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cuomo said the new task force will be charged with developing plans for public transportation, housing, public safety, health care, social equality, and the use of technology.

At the same time, however, the governor explicitly stated that the task force will focus primarily on downstate New York.

State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C,I-Big Flats) urged the governor to include the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions, and all of Upstate New York, in the planned restructuring of New York government.

O’Mara said, “I encourage the governor to keep looking ahead and recognizing that a restructuring of New York State government is at hand, because I’ve recently called for that very same post COVID-19 future for New York government.  But it baffles me why Governor Cuomo would only include downstate New York?  Upstate New York also deserves better public transportation, better housing, better public safety, better health care, better technology and all of the other areas the governor highlighted today for the future of downstate New York. Believe me, from high taxes to unfunded state mandates, Upstate New York deserves and needs to be fully included in this ‘reimagining’ of state government.  This restructuring is long overdue.  Clearly, we will need to keep reminding the Governor and the downstate-controlled State Legislature that Upstate’s still here and there’s a few things we can imagine too.  I look forward to helping make sure we will not be forgotten moving forward.”