The Times Union rounds up proposals Gov. Andrew Cuomo put forth in his $178 billion budget announced Jan. 21. Locally, the biggest news is the creation of the Hudson Eagles State Recreation Area, a park connecting five boat launches between the cities of Rensselaer and Hudson. Cuomo also proposed legalizing recreational marijuana, though not allowing home growing. The governor is also proposing a three percent increase in education funding. Cuomo's Medicaid proposals may be the most controversial. The governor announced the state will only assume the local share of Medicaid spending growth if local governments contain annual growth at three percent, shifting more costs to local governments. In a briefing after the budget announcement, Cuomo’s Budget Czar Robert Mujica said it’s possible the state will save $2.5 billion from Medicaid costs by raising taxes on health insurance plans. An outside panel will make that decision, Mujica said. Cuomo's budget counts on those Medicaid cost savings and rising tax income to close a $6 billion budget deficit. Read more about this story in the Times Union.