NYS Seal

ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Oral Testimony by Invitation Only


SUBJECT:

Industrial Development Agencies

PURPOSE:

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

Thursday
May 17, 2007
10 a.m.
Buffalo and Erie County Public Library
One Lafayette Square
Buffalo, 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 over 100 county and municipal-level IDAs.

The Committee will receive testimony on issues related to the effectiveness of IDAs including whether they are fulfilling the purposes for which they were created and the potential need for reform and/or consolidation.

Please see below for a list of subjects to which witnesses may direct their testimony. 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 in duration. Written testimony will also be accepted and may be sent to the contact person listed on the reply form. 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 the hearing, please inform interested parties of the Committee's interest in receiving written 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.


Sam Hoyt
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 desirable jobs? What, if any, changes would help IDAs achieve better economic results?

  2. 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?

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

  4. What, if any, steps should be taken to encourage IDA consolidation?

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

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

  7. The authorization for IDAs to finance not-for-profit or civic facility projects was added in 1986. Do these types of projects fulfill the purposes for which IDAs were created?

  8. Certain powers of IDAs, including the financing of civic facility and life care community projects, are set to expire on July 1 of this year. Should this authorization be extended?


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:

Alice Vanderhoef-Murray
Committee Assistant
Assembly Committee on Local Governments
Room 520 - Capitol
Albany, New York 12248
Email: Vandera@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 May 17, 2007.

box I plan to make a public statement at the hearing. My statement will be limited to ten 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:

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