Committee advances resolution to expand Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency board to include school and rural representation

The Tompkins County Legislature’s Housing & Economic Development Committee on a February 2025 afternoon voted unanimously to advance a resolution (ID 13085) asking the state to permit the county to expand the Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency (TCIDA) board from seven to nine members and to consider adding seats that could represent school districts, organized labor and rural towns.

The resolution was moved by Chair Greg (Legislator) and seconded by Veronica Pillard (Legislator). The committee recorded a roll-call vote of six yes votes — Travis Brooks (Legislator), Deborah Dawson (Legislator), Mike Sigler (Legislator), Anne Corman (Legislator), Veronica Pillard (Legislator) and Chair Greg — and the measure “passed unanimously out of committee” and will go to the full legislature and then to the state for the home-rule approval needed to change the IDA’s membership.

Why it matters: the TCIDA issues tax abatements and other incentives for development projects; committee members and public commenters tied the change to concerns about how those incentives affect local taxing jurisdictions, particularly Ithaca City School District, and to the desire to broaden the board’s perspectives. Supporters said adding representation would…