The region's local elected officials left the Robert H. Jackson Center enthused Thursday afternoon, following Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Jamestown reiteration of his State of the State.
Largely the same message he delivered in Albany last week, the governor's comments Thursday did at times address Chautauqua County specifically.
County Executive Greg Edwards said the speech laid "a great foundation" for solutions to come, first identifying the problems facing the state and then empowering people to take action.
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Similarly, Todd Tranum, president of the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce, called the speech inspiring.
"The governor delivered a great speech," said Tranum, who is also the executive director of the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier.
"The message resonated very well with the business community," Tranum continued. "We are fully on board in supporting the reform agenda the governor presented. Specifically we support a property tax cap, a state spending cap, a state employee wage freeze, rightsizing government, Medicaid reform and mandate relief. If this reform agenda moves forward and is implemented it will reduce taxes and create a more viable environment for business growth."
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Gov. Andrew Cuomo sits with state Sen. Cathy Young, R-Olean, at the Robert H. Jackson Center in Jamestown on Thursday.
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The focus on business was also one issue which resonated with the 150th Assembly District's new state representative, Andrew Goodell, R-Jamestown.
"Without any question, we have to make the state more business competitive and more business friendly - and the way to do that is to cut the amount of taxes that businesses have to pay," Goodell said. "Cut the costs of doing business here in New York state and make it easier to locate New York state, hire people in New York state and expand in New York state.
"So the governor's focus on cutting taxes and fees is right on target," Goodell continued. "I also think he was right on target by focusing on the largest components of the state budget, which are education and Medicaid and, to a lesser extent, welfare. Clearly, if you're going to make significant cuts in the state budget, you have to focus on the largest portions of the budget."
Though the governor's message laid "a great foundation," Edwards said it still lacks muscle.
"I'm encouraged by what I hear," Edwards said, "I just want to see more muscle. ... I didn't here concrete solutions, but I heard a great foundation of the beginnings of solutions. ... The real issue will be April 1st if we have an on-time budget and what that budget says we will be spending our money on. And that's what we're going to have to do, demand that our tax dollars be spent better and that they end mandates."