Local leaders have plans for stimulus money

Among the twenty six projects on a list provided by Schenectady Mayor Brian Stratton is a regional science center, a project Stratton says could be funded with money from the economic stimulus bill under debate in Washington, D.C.

"You're not only investing in a huge building to create the jobs, you're actually educating the next work force," Stratton says.  The mayor said he'd like to see at least some of the federal money sent directly to cities rather than distributed through state government. Other projects he'd like to see funded include a new train station, water and sewer improvements and a new 16-unit homeless shelter.

Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings said he could use $35 million for demolition, removing blight and improving neighborhoods; $230 million on a convention center and $30 million to improve the city's sewer system. "If any project is ready to go, after seven years, it's the convention center," Jennings said. 

Bethlehem Town Supervisor John Cunningham says renovations at the town's water plant are needed by 2012. It's one of two major projects in the town.

"We also have our wastewater treatment plant down on the Hudson and that facility is reaching capacity so we're going to be doing work to increase capacity down there," says Cunningham.  The supervisor says the town also has a smaller sewer district that has what he describes as a "neighborhood septic system" that has failed and needs to be repaired per order of the state DEC. He says a sidewalk project that involves wetlands could also be funded if the stimulus bill passes.

A spokesman for Troy Mayor Harry Tutunjian says that city would use federal stimulus money on basic infrastructure improvements and to help pay for the move into a new city hall, a move that's expected to cost the city $22 million. City leaders are still waiting to hear how much money may be available and how the money would be distributed.