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Legislature asks Albany to expand Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency from 7 to 9 members
Summary
The Tompkins County Legislature unanimously approved a home-rule request (Doc ID 13085) urging the state to increase the county's Industrial Development Agency (IDA) board from seven to nine members to add broader community representation, including possible school-district or rural voices.
The Tompkins County Legislature voted unanimously on Feb. 18 to ask the New York State Legislature to pass home-rule legislation expanding the Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) board from seven to nine members (Doc ID 13085).
The resolution seeks additional seats so local taxing jurisdictions and school boards can have direct representation when the IDA considers tax-exempt financing or payment-in-lieu (PILOT) agreements for projects. Robert Lynch, councilperson from the Town of Enfield, urged the legislature during public comment to support the change, saying it would give rural towns and school districts "a chance to be heard" on IDA decisions.
Legislators debated implementation details but framed the request as a home-rule advocacy item that must be enacted by the state. Greg Mezey and others said expanding membership would allow the county to appoint representatives who can bring local and school-district perspectives to the IDA without prescribing how those seats must be filled.
The legislature unanimously approved the resolution and directed staff to transmit the request to the county's state legislative delegation for consideration in Albany. The measure does not itself change the IDA bylaws; it asks the state to authorize the county to make the change if the state passes the enabling law.
