CUOMO WAS ON THE CAMPUS OF CLARKSON UNIVERSITY IN POTSDAM THIS (TUESDAY) MORNING TO PRESENT HIS “STATE OF THE STATE” AND BUDGET MESSAGES BEFORE A PACKED ALUMNI GYMNASIUM AUDIENCE. THE ADDRESS WAS SIMILAR TO THE MESSAGES CUOMO GAVE LAST MONTH.

A MAJORITY OF ST.LAWRENCE COUNTY LEGISLATORS SUPPORTS HOME RULE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD RAISE THE SALES TAX RATE BY ONE PERCENT. A LOBBYIST HAS BEEN HIRED IN THE HOPES OF GETTING A BILL MOVING. LOCAL SENATORS JOSEPH GRIFFO AND PATTY RITCHIE DO NOT SUPPORT RAISING THE SALES TAX OUTRIGHT, PREFERRING TO TAKE THE MEASURE TO REFERENDUM. THE LEGALITY OF AN ADVISORY REFERENDUM HAS BEEN QUESTIONED. CUOMO TOLD REPORTERS AFTER THE ADDRESS HE WOULD SUPPORT THE TAX HIKE, IF THE BILL MAKES IT THROUGH THE CHAMBERS. 

COUNTY LEGISLATORS SAY A ONE-PERCENT SALES TAX HIKE WOULD GENERATE ABOUT 14-MILLION-DOLLARS IN ONE YEAR, ELIMINATE THE 2013 COUNTY TAX HIKE IN 2014, AND PLANT THE SEED FOR A FUND BALANCE.

CUOMO'S ADDRESS TO THE CLARKSON AUDIENCE FOCUSED HEAVILY ON THE LINK BETWEEN HIGHER EDUCATION AND INDUSTRY, CREATING LINKS BETWEEN INNOVATION AND COMMERCIALIZATION.