ALBANY — The state spent $25 million for a shopping mall in Staten Island and $100,000 for a skateboard park in the city of Albany. They were two of the more than 500 pet projects funded with a secret slush fund, according to the Empire Center. The watchdog group said it’s like the Oprah syndrome where everyone got a car on the show.
“But instead of saying you get a car, it’s you get a skateboard park city of Albany. You get a zoo exhibit city of Buffalo and you get a hotel renovation in the city of Syracuse,” said The Empire Center Policy Analyst Ken Girardin.

Girardin said they discovered the pot of money called the SMFP, State Municipal Facility Program while going through the state budget with a fine tooth comb. He said the borrowed money kept growing every year from 2013 to now a giant $1.1 billion credit card that officials have been using for projects across the state.

“We could be spending this money re-paving roads. We could be spending this money upgrading sewer systems,” Girardin said.

We asked the governor’s office for an interview. They released a statement saying this is not unlike other capital appropriations for roads, infrastructure and economic development. They said the projects also go through a rigorous review process. But The Empire Center said they couldn’t find a paper trail. They said the Dormitory Authority only dishes out the money.

“We have no idea who is telling the Dormitory Authority where to send the money,” he said.

Girardin said the slush fund looks a lot like the old member item system. But it’s worse because it’s borrowed money and they cannot trace it to any one lawmaker. The Empire Center said the Dormitory Authority has been issuing bonds and taxpayers will be paying for these programs until at least 2025.

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