County Executive Candidate Davis Calls For Stronger Oversight Of Development Agencies

MONROE – Last Week, New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli released the findings of their audit of the Orange County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) and five other IDAs in the State.  The audit found that our IDA was operating beyond its established authorization in certain cases and had failed to enforce proper controls to ensure appropriate oversight of projects.  

“We have an IDA to encourage businesses to come and develop in Orange County, and it’s critical to creating jobs and generating economic growth, but transparency and accountability are necessary given the IDA’s impact on local taxpayers,” said County Executive candidate Pat Davis of the findings.  “If the IDA acts more like an advocate for the businesses it is trying to court, rather than for the people of Orange County, then that is a serious problem.”

Specifically included in the audit were charges of improper dealings between the Orange County IDA and Millennium Pipeline project, which casts another questionable shadow over the CPV power plant which has already been plagued with allegations of corruption and undisclosed risks to public health and safety.

“When tax related incentives are in play, we cannot accept corruption and lack of adequate oversight-  they go hand in hand,” said Davis, “Leaders are responsible for demanding better and enforcing accountability.  As it relates to Millennium and the CPV plant, I see my opponent call foul about the plant only when corruption out of Albany surfaces, but what about now that we see that Orange County didn’t follow the rules either?”