Cuomo: Use surplus to spur municipal consolidation

BOLTON LANDING, N.Y. (AP) — New York should use nearly half of its more than $4 billion budget surplus to spur upstate economic development and encourage local governments to consolidate and share their services, Gov. Andrew Cuomo told business leaders Friday.

Speaking at the Business Council of New York’s annual meeting, the Democratic announced that he wants to use $1.5 billion on local economic development programs similar to the “Buffalo Billion” initiative, his administration’s pledge to invest $1 billion in the economy of upstate New York’s largest city.