That $ 225 million is the same amount that was proposed a year ago by the then Government. Andrew Cuomo, who created the economic development councils a decade ago.

However, Hochul will also set aside $ 350 million for workforce development and $ 450 million for downtown revitalization in a budget plan designed to help New York State crawl out of illness. caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

And regional councils (also known as the REDCs) will start moving away from what has been criticized as a “Hunger Games” style competition for millions more by impressing the governor – as has been done under Cuomo – and sharing more in funding. distributed by the state branch of economic development, Empire State Development.

“We are excited about Gov. Hochul’s focus on improving and reinvigorating the REDC process as we continue to move away from the region-by-region competition of the past,” said ESD spokeswoman Kristin Devoe to the Times Union. “As mentioned in the State of the Governor’s State (address), focusing on the development of the workforce and downtown and community development initiatives are a high priority and this a new focus, as well as the ongoing effort to fund regionally significant shovel-ready projects, will encourage more holistic involvement and collaboration among councils as well as a strong project pipeline. ”

Hochul’s short budget address on Tuesday was designed to set out how it will pay for most of the initiatives outlined in its State of the Union address two weeks ago.

One of the most important parts of Hochul State has been a promise to fund infrastructure improvements such as statewide business parks that are designed to host computer chip factories. Such sites require millions of gallons of water a day, and abundant supplies of natural gas and electricity.

Hochul’s budget address does not describe how much it is intended to put in to chip manufacturing sites, such as the Luther Forest Technology Campus in Saratoga County, where GlobalFoundries has its headquarters and plant. Fab 8 Computer Chip

The industry has been looking to build new factories across the United States as Congress seeks to pass a $ 52 billion incentive package – the CHIPS Act – designed to help the United States regain its share. of the chip manufacturing market from China and Taiwan.

New York has already lost on two “fabs” chip that have been proposed by Samsung and Intel, although officials at Empire State Development believe there are more chances to win.

GlobalFoundries has plans to build a second fab chip in Luther Forest. Although the design of the project has yet to be submitted to officials in the cities of Malta and Stillwater, the company was bullish to move forward.

The state is also focused on attracting a $ 2 billion federal chip manufacturing research lab located at Albany Nanotech, across the street from Albany State University.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo is expected to come to Albany Nanotech soon to tour the facility to see if it would be an ideal location for the lab, which is called the National Semiconductor Technology Center.