Over the past year or so, the Monroe County Industrial Development Agency has approved tax-incentive packages for businesses over the objections of local school district officials.
Most recently, COMIDA’s board approved an incentive package for an expansion at Marketplace Mall over the objection of the Rush-Henrietta school district. In June 2012, representatives of the Greece school district objected to incentives for renovations at Greece Ridge Mall. But district, COMIDA, and mall representatives were able to hammer out a compromise in that instance.
Now, Democratic County Legislator Justin Wilcox says he wants Monroe County school districts represented on COMIDA’s board. He has sent a letter to County Legislature President Jeff Adair requesting that Adair fill a vacant seat on the board with someone recommended by the Monroe County School Boards Association.
Rosalind Gerbracht recently resigned from the COMIDA board, which created the vacancy.
“By soliciting a new COMIDA board member from the school boards association, this county will show that we believe in an inclusive, responsive government,” Wilcox said in a press release. “The perception of COMIDA must be changed and we must ensure all of their projects are subject to rigorous review. This proposed action will be a powerful first step towards that goal.”
This article appears in Feb 19-25, 2014.
It’s all a shell game folks. The government dishes out welfare to the masses and businesses pay the vast majority of it. Then to appease business, they are offered tax breaks for developments. Want to get rid of COMIDA and other corporate welfare. Me too, but don’t blame the businesses, blame our government representatives that are playing this shell game promising everything to everyone. Get rid of ALL forms of welfare and let the free market decide what is built or not.
Andrew Cuomo is robbing us in Rochester blind. Heard of the Buffalo Billion? (Welfare for Buffalo). At 5% of the NYS population, WE in Rochester are paying $50,000,000 to create jobs in Buffalo. Just do the math yourself. 50 million dollars are being stolen from Rochester. Think what that could do for our schools.