Governor Cuomo (Getty)

Before he signed a grant to give University of Buffalo $35 million to fund an expansion today, Governor Cuomo took a moment to pat himself on the back.

“I’m closing the first year of–my rookie year as governor and you tend to get a little reflective,” he said.

Governor Cuomo asked his audience to harken back to the time before his term began so they could truly appreciate the unimaginable scope of his accomplishments.

“If I would have told you a year ago that the New York State legislature was going to be one of the most effective legislatures in the country … If I told you that New York State was going to turn around its reputation and that jobs were going to come back to New York,” Governor Cuomo said. “I think you would be dubious.”

With the legislature co-signing his tax plan and unemployment down slightly, Governor Cuomo believes he’s reaching those impossible heights.

“Well, it’s all happened, and my friends, the best is yet to be,” Governor Cuomo said.

In addition to praising the work done during his first year in office, Governor Cuomo crowed over the funding for the University of Buffalo. The UB2020 Grant, which was awarded under the NYSUNY 2020 Challenge Grant Program, provides $35 million to fund a $375 university expansion that the Governor’s office claims will bring more than 3,000 new jobs to Western New York.

“The engine in the regional growth is going to be the SUNY system,” Governor Cuomo said at the signing ceremony.

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