ALBANY – Calling the Orange County Industrial Development Agency a “runaway train,” State Senator James Skoufis (D, Cornwall) has introduced in the proposed state budget a provision that would create one or two state-appointed monitors to oversee the county agency.
Skoufis said taxpayers are looking for smart growth and development, not giveaways of local funds for businesses that would locate in the county even without a financial incentive.
“The monitor would be able to override any incentive decisions that come out of the Orange County IDA. If the monitor feels that the IDA is not acting in the best interests of taxpayers when they are offering a payment-in-lieu of taxes – property tax breaks, sales tax breaks, a monitor can step in and override that decision,” he said.
Skoufis said the monitor would be able to pull an item from an agenda before it is even discussed.
The bill would also impose operational changes in the IDA’s uniform tax exemption policy.
