GOSHEN – Several local Orange County municipal officials as well as County Executive Steven Neuhaus and State Senators James Skoufis and Mike Martucci are calling on the county Industrial Development Agency to include the villages, towns, cities and school districts in the decision-making process when considering property tax abatements.
“We are the ones who must deal with the budget ramifications of the IDA’s decision. As such, it is high time we receive a seat at the table,” the local leaders wrote in a letter to the IDA board of directors.
The officials wrote that they “insist on being treated the same way as the Rockland County IDA votes on whether to authorize ‘up to’ a certain PILOT then leaves it to the taxing jurisdictions to negotiate the tax break – or refuse a PILOT.”
The Orange County officials said Rockland’s “cooperative approach has not stymied economic development in Rockland County all the while ensuring local leaders have a direct say in what is happening in their community.”
There has been no response to the letter from the Orange IDA board or leadership.
