The Gift That Keeps On Giving

There’s a classic scene in A Charlie Brown Christmas where Lucy tells Charlie Brown what she really wants for Christmas: real estate. And for New York State taxpayers, they are getting just that.

Last Thursday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave the state an early holiday present: $785 million worth of state aid for infrastructure projects and new developments throughout 10 regions, with the top prizes going to Long Island ($101.6 million) and Western New York ($100.3 million). While this number may seem small compared to major office trades in Manhattan, many of these projects will have the capacity to transform entire neighborhoods, provide much-needed affordable housing options and create good-paying jobs for New Yorkers anywhere from the Bronx to Brookhaven. [A full list of the winners can be viewed here.]