Cuomo announces "Buffalo Billion Squared" at State of the State

Governor Andrew Cuomo is in Amherst Monday to continue to roll out his policy priorities as part of his 2017 State of the State.  He proposed plans for what he is calling "Buffalo Billion Squared".

The $500 million plan included 20 separate proposals for development in Western New York.

Some of the plans include extending the metro rail to Amherst, revitalizing Buffalo's east side and transforming the former Bethlehem Steel site into a new industrial park.

"That will pump more resources into development in the east side of Buffalo," said Mayor Byron Brown.  "I'm very excited by what I heard from the Governor."

The plan also includes projects across the Western New York Region.  Niagara Falls, Jamestown and Grand Island are a few locations that would see money from Buffalo Billion Squared.

By Monday afternoon, Cuomo had announced 18 separate proposals for his 2017 State of the State spanning a wide-array of topics.  Some of his priorities include banning so-called "bad actors" from the financial services industry, installing more than 500 charging stations for electric cars and protecting New Yorkers from cyber attacks.

This year, rather than speaking at one event before state lawmakers in Albany, Cuomo is traveling across New York to deliver his State of the State.

Monday is the start of a three-day series of events where Cuomo will continue to roll out his State of the State.  At 11 a.m. he spoke in Manhattan, followed by a 3 p.m. event in Amherst.

Tuesday, Cuomo will be in the Mid-Hudson region and on Long Island.  On Wednesday, he is scheduled to speak in the Capital Region and Central New York.