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Suport IDA Reform
IDAs are the main source of economic development subsidies at the local and county level. In return for a commitment to create jobs, they give businesses property and sales tax breaks.
However when abused, IDAs waste taxpayer dollars and don’t provide a good return on our public investment.
Send an email to your NY State Senate and State Assembly representatives, urging them to support legislation that would create wage and benefits, job creation, accountability, and transparency standards for companies that receive tax breaks from Industrial Development Agencies.
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: Support IDA Reform
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
I urge you to support S. 7391 Maziarz, et al/ A. 10787 Sweeney et al which would reform the way Industrial Development Agencies operate in our state.
IDAs are the main source of economic development subsidies at the local and county level. In return for a commitment to create jobs, they give businesses property and sales tax breaks. When abused, however, IDAs waste taxpayer dollars and don't provide a good return on our public investment. Taxpayers deserve to be confident that our IDAs are supporting responsible businesses that will deliver on their promises to provide good jobs and services to New Yorkers. If the companies don't deliver, we should get our money back.
This bill is intended to overhaul the legislation establishing Industrial Development Agencies. Experience has shown the need for these changes. Among the changes contained in this proposal are several that help workers while enhancing economic development. The premise of industrial development is to encourage job creation by supporting industrial relocation and start-ups. A new concept that has become constant is the so called civic improvement which has permitted industrial development funds to be substituted for local government appropriated funding. The bill addresses demonstrated needed improvements in a comprehensive way. The need for passage is glaringly evident.
I strongly urge your support of this legislation.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
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Campaign Launched:
May 18, 2006
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What Are IDAs?
Industrial Development Agencies (IDAs) are an important tool to create jobs in our communities. They are the main source of economic development subsidies at the local and county level. In return for a commitment to create jobs, they give businesses property and sales tax breaks.
When abused, however, IDAs waste taxpayer dollars and don't provide a good return on our public investment. We must be sure that our IDAs are supporting responsible businesses that will deliver on their promises to provide good jobs and services to New Yorkers. If they don't, we should get our money back. It's that simple. Senator Maziarz and Assembly Member Sweeney have introduced legislation (S. 7391/A. 10787) to do this.
What We Want:
1. Basic business standards, so we don't subsidize poverty-wage jobs, sprawl, or the outsourcing of construction work to out-of-state companies.
2. A requirement that businesses live up to their end of the bargain, by forcing them to pay back the tax breaks if they fail to meet their job creation goals.
3. More community input into the IDA process, including a report that would detail the quality of jobs that will be created, the effect on open space and schools, and the effect on area housing.
4. More transparency in the way IDAs run.
5. More accountability to taxpayers because they are giving away our money.
6. Meaningful penalties for IDAs that steal a company from another part of the state.
Who We Are:
The New York State Initiative for Development Accountability is guided by a group of organizations across the state including New York City Jobs with Justice, the Working Families Party, UNITE- HERE!, New York State Ironworkers District Council, SEIU 32BJ, Mason Tenders District Council PAC, UFCW Local 1500, SEIU 200United, Concerned Citizens for the Environment, Hunger Action Network of NYS, Fiscal Policy Institute, Good Jobs New York, Metro Justice in Rochester, Coalition for Economic Justice in Buffalo, Long Island Jobs with Justice, the Long Island Labor-Religion Coalition and a number of local coalitions on Long Island and in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Westchester, the North Country and New York City.
We are also working with the NYS AFL-CIO and the Sierra Club.
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