NYS Seal

ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING


SUBJECT:

Industrial Development Agencies

PURPOSE:

To solicit input on the role of Industrial Development Agencies in New York State.

ALBANY
State Legislative Office Building (LOB)
Roosevelt Hearing Room C
Tuesday
January 18, 2005
9:30 a.m.
Albany, New York


Industrial Development Agencies (IDAs) have been created by the State Legislature to promote the economic welfare and prosperity of the State's inhabitants and to actively attract, encourage and develop economically sound commerce and industry for the purpose of preventing unemployment and economic deterioration. Currently, there are 116 county and municipal-level IDAs.

Several provisions of the IDA statute are set to expire on July 1st of this year including: the authorization for IDAs to finance civic facility and continuing care retirement projects; certain tax policies and restrictions on the use of agency funds. The sunset of these provisions provides an opportunity to examine the current practices of IDAs, including the need for any changes or reforms.

Please see the reverse side for a list of subjects to which witnesses may direct their testimony, and for a description of the bills which will be discussed at the hearing.

Persons wishing to present pertinent testimony to the Committee at the above hearing should complete and return the enclosed reply form as soon as possible. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation.

Oral testimony will be limited to ten minutes' duration. In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committee will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to Committee staff as early as possible. In the absence of a request, witnesses will be scheduled in the order in which reply forms are postmarked.

Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committee would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements.

In order to further publicize these hearings, please inform interested parties and organizations of the Committee's interest in hearing testimony from all sources.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.


Robert K. Sweeney
Member of Assembly
Chairman
Committee on Local Governments


SELECTED ISSUES TO WHICH WITNESSES MAY DIRECT THEIR TESTIMONY:

  1. Are IDAs fulfilling their economic development role of creating and maintaining jobs? What, if any, changes would help IDAs achieve better economic results?

  2. The authority for IDA financing of civic facility and life care community projects is set to expire on July 1 of this year. Should this authorization be extended?

  3. IDAs are designed to meet the economic development needs of the communities they represent. Are IDAs doing a good job of remaining accountable and ensuring adequate public input on proposed projects, or are reforms necessary?

  4. Are IDAs adequately accountable to the municipalities and school districts they represent?

  5. Should the dollar threshold on civic facility projects be determined based on the population of the municipality they were created to serve, or for different types of projects?

  6. Is the information reported by IDAs adequate to determine performance, or are additional reporting requirements necessary?

  7. Under current law, is the information available sufficient to permit the public to comment knowledgeably upon proposed projects?


PUBLIC HEARING REPLY FORM

Persons wishing to present testimony at the public hearing on Industrial Development Agencies are requested to complete this reply form as soon as possible and mail it to:

Brian Levine
Committee Assistant
Assembly Committee on Local Governments
Room 520 - Capitol
Albany, New York 12248
Email: LevineB@assembly.state.ny.us
Phone: (518) 455-4363
Fax: (518) 455-5182


box I plan to attend the following public hearing on Industrial Development Agencies to be conducted by the Assembly Committee on Local Governments on January 18, 2005.

box I plan to make a public statement at the hearing. My statement will be limited to ten of minutes, and I will answer any questions which may arise. I will provide 10 copies of my prepared statement.

box

I will address my remarks to the following subjects:



box I do not plan to attend the above hearing.

box I would like to be added to the Committee mailing list for notices and reports.

box I would like to be removed from the Committee mailing list.

box

I will require assistance and/or handicapped accessibility information. Please specify the type of assistance required:




NAME:

TITLE:

ORGANIZATION:

ADDRESS:

E-MAIL:

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FAX TELEPHONE:

*** Click here for printable form ***

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