Flanagan: If people are going to believe us, they have to feel the process works

As investigators look into how projects part of the Buffalo Billion were awarded, state Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan said Wednesday that he wouldn’t mind if the Legislature discussed different ways to handle the state contract procurement process.

“I have no problems having those types of discussion,” Flanagan told reporters after speaking at an event in Manhattan. He did cede that much of that end of government is run by the executive branch, though. “Look, everybody talks about this: transparency and disclosure. If we’re going to have people believing us, they have to feel like the process is actually working.”

It has been reported by the New York Times that prosecutors, in subpoenaing SUNY Polytechnic Institute, are interested in learning more about a 2013 request for proposals associated with the Buffalo Billion. The Times reported that of interest is if the RFP was written in such a way that it may have disqualified bidders and favored a company run by a campaign contributor to Gov. Andrew.

Asked about the contract procurement process while he was in Syracuse on Wednesday, Cuomo focused on the success of the Buffalo Billion instead.

On the Buffalo Billion itself, Flanagan didn’t make it sound as if he feels the state’s investment in Buffalo’s revitalization is too large. His comments turned toward he budget process, which obviously includes the Legislature and the Executive and Flanagan said is very deliberative.

“The focus should not just be on the Buffalo Billion,” he added. “There’s money for Long Island, there’s money for the Hudson Valley, there’s money for the Southern Tier. So we have tried to make equitable investments all across the state.”

The Buffalo Billion obviously is Cuomo’s most sweeping economic development initiative. He has pointed ad nauseam to Buffalo’s growth when discussing other upstate regions’ potentials for a rebound.

Western New York’s revival was a talking point at Cuomo’s Capital for a Day event in Syracuse Wednesday, though he repeated another talking point that while upstate was forgotten by state government, there’s more work left to be done.

“Let’s be honest, we still have more to do,” the governor said at a morning cabinet meeting. “We’re making up for 40 years of decline.”