The state had previously opposed city plans to buy land, saying they did not preserve the rights of landowners and upstate communities.

In upstate communities, tax refunds come out of the school district's budget.

That work draws on the same talents he used in his upstate community.

"This ought not to be an incendiary proposal with upstate communities," he said.

Many upstate communities are also in need of the aid.

Our upstate rural community would probably not obtain such a court order.

Too many people believe that the memorandum of agreement between the city and upstate communities ended our water problems.

"We absolutely have to have the upstate communities' cooperation, and whatever plan you come up with is going to be limited by that."

Now that the tough times have returned, upstate communities are struggling to cope.

That news includes the thousands of jobs added over the last decade, even as other upstate communities saw little or no job growth.