BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The $500 million expansion to the Buffalo Billion – or BB² – announced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday in his Western New York-specific State of the State address, mentioned revitalizing the city's east side.

Lawrence Stitts, the owner of Golden Cup Coffee Company, says the billion dollars initially pledged may have transformed some highly-visible sections of the city, but not along Jefferson Avenue.

"As a businessman, I definitely feel left behind, because it doesn't seem that that money trickles down to the small business," Stitts said.

Mayor Byron Brown says though Cuomo offered little in the way of specifics in his speech at UB, the governor reached out to City Hall to make recommendations for the funding.

"We're seeing significant progress and business interest on the east side of Buffalo, but it was important to make even more specific investments that would get into the neighborhood level, that would get to the homeowner level," said Brown, D-Buffalo.

Brown says one example of the resources the governor's included would help renters become homeowners.

"In addition to resources for small business stabilization and growth in general, certainly that will be good for east side residents," Brown said.

"If it happens, it's great news because the east side needs to be developed, business-wise as well," said Stitts. "I have a building, I would like to get that building renovated at some point so I move my business in there and hire more people."

Erie County Legislator Betty Jean Grant doesn't think the governor's plan goes far enough. Grant says she hears from people on the east side regularly who are struggling to make ends meet.

"The governor's out of touch with what people need," said Grant, D-District 2. "Saying I can't afford to keep my house out of foreclosure, I cannot pay my property taxes, I cannot pay my gas bill.

"I'd like to see the money he's proposing go toward specific, concrete plans that's going to increase hiring, help youth to graduate from high school."

Stitts is hopeful that this time around, the Buffalo Billion will reach more people who need it.

"The east side is just as important as downtown, because who supports downtown? People from the communities."