State budget includes $550,000 for Schenectady project

PHOTOGRAPHER: Bob Conner

The state budget being passed this week includes $550,000 for the Homeland Security Consortium at Schenectady County Community College.

SCCC Associate Professor David Hennessy, chairman of the Business and Law Department, said that will permit the consortium to proceed with current projects, including construction of a training center in Glenville and “distributive learning” for emergency first responders at SCCC. The money was obtained by Sen. Hugh Farley of Niskayuna, Hennessy confirmed. Last year, Farley obtained $548,000 for the Consortium.

Farley also released a partial list of his member items. The largest were $50,000 for the Montgomery County Agricultural Society to install wash racks and a sprinkler system at the Fonda Fair, $50,000 for the Zone 5 Regional Law Enforcement Training Academy in Schenectady to do repairs and improvements, $50,000 for the Schenectady County Historical Society for construction of an educational center at the Mabee Farm, and $40,000 for the Montgomery County Office for the Aging for heating and air conditioning, renovations and improvements at its new building, and moving costs.

The state Senate also passed the transportation, economic development and environmental conservation budget legislation. A Senate news release said the bill, which is expected to become law, accepts the governor’s recommendation to cut funding for the state Lottery Division by 9 percent, but “rejects the Executive’s proposal to monetize the New York State Lottery to establish future funding for higher education programs.”

The Lottery Division has its headquarters in Schenectady.

Scott Reif, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno said the Senate rejected the funding proposed in the executive budget for a request for proposals regarding partial privatization of the Lottery. But he said he believes the Budget Division has proceeded with the plan administratively.

Gov. David Paterson’s Budget Division and the Assembly majority press office did not immediately return calls for comment.

The Mohawk Valley Heritage Corridor Commission is getting $300,000 in operational funding, up from $283,075 last year, Smingler said.