Reaction Mixed to Spitzer's Upstate Speech ALBANY, NEW YORK (WXXI) - Reaction to the Governor's Upstate State of the State address ranged from enthusiastic endorsement to skepticism.

One of the centerpieces of Governor Spitzer's revitalization plan for Upstate is $350 million dollars for what he calls regional blue prints, focused on the unique needs of individual regions. The proposal includes millions of dollars in loans to small businesses for capital projects to help them grow.

Chris Koetzle with Support Services Alliance, a small business advocacy group, says he's encouraged.

"One of biggest problems small businesses face is that they don't have access to the capital they need to invest in equipment and even employees," Koetzle said.

Spitzer also plans to rev up the state's agriculture industry. He wants to appoint a new Farm Czar, to oversee $50 million dollars in investments. Jeff Williams, with the New York Farm Bureau, says the government help can further the increased interest in locally produced foods.

Spitzer plans to build a new wholesale farmer's market in the heart of New York City, where farmers can bring their products to be purchased by restaurants and grocery stores.

Even traditionally skeptical Republican state lawmakers gave Spitzer credit for his focus on Upstate and the ideas that he laid out.

Senator Dale Volker, a prominent Western New York Republican Senator, was initially critical of the governor's plans to give an upstate address, saying he wanted Spitzer to focus more on curbing Thruway toll increases. But afterward, the Senator seemed to have been partially won over.

"I don't know how you could criticize a speech like that," Volker said.

But Volker did point out that much of the $1 billion dollars in the revitalization plan are left over dollars from last year's capital budget, which was never actually approved by the legislature.

State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno, in a statement, said Governor Spitzer has shown that he "recognizes the importance of strengthening the Upstate economy". Bruno says he hopes Spitzer follows through on his promises with action. The Senator also claimed credit for many of the Governor's ideas, saying Senate Republicans thought of them first. Assembly Republican Minority Leader Jim Tedisco said while he's been one of the governor's toughest critics, Spitzer deserves credit in this case.

One upstate Assembly Republican, David Townsend, from Central New York, was less impressed. Townsend, speaking on his cell phone while driving home from the speech, said Spitzer did not give enough details about where he'll actually get the money to spend on upstate projects. He says he hopes the answers will be in Spitzer's state budget presentation.

"Where's the beef?" Townsend said. "I feel like the little old lady who did the hamburger ads."

Assemblyman Townsend says he disagrees with the approach of spending more money to fix problems, and believes that if businesses were freed from excess regulation and taxes, they'd do much better left on their own, and the economy would improve.

Some from other regions of the state have also been critical of the governor's focus on Upstate. The Long Island Association, a business group, said in an Op Ed piece in Newsday that Spitzer risks further dividing the state by not also helping Nassau and Suffolk Counties, which have problems of their own, and who pay more in state taxes than they get back in services.

Assemblyman Keith Wright, a Democrat who represents Harlem, says he's not troubled by the governor's focus on upstate. He says when it comes to the budget and other state policies, New York City is much too big to be lost in the shuffle.

"That great American soothsayer, Shaquille O'Neal, said 'if the big dog doesn't get fed the house goes unprotected', and in this case New York City is in fact the big dog," Wright said.

In his State of Upstate speech, Governor Spitzer again made the effort to single out as many individual lawmakers as possible for praise. He was also very conciliatory to the legislature in his State of the State address on January 9th.

Assemblyman Wright, who had been sharply critical of Spitzer when the governor feuded with the legislature last year, says he appreciates the Governor's efforts in his speech to reach out to lawmakers and show them some respect.

Senator Volker, a Republican, agrees that the governor is on the right track for a more productive year than his first tumultuous year as Governor.

"If this attitude continues we're going to get a lot done," said Volker.

Spitzer is due to release his state budget next week. In contrast to the two speeches he's given this month, the spending plan proposal is expected to contain some bad news, as the governor confronts a $4.3 billion dollar deficit. At that point, the harmony that the governor has strived for so far this year may begin to erode.




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