Woodbury state Sen. James Skoufis breaks down the relationship with IDAs and tax breaks. Skoufis discusses his bill to amend the general municipal law regarding industrial development agencies. He criticizes the Orange County IDA for approving $80 million in property tax breaks for Amazon’s 3.2 million square foot warehouse, citing the corporation’s wealth and the low average salary of $37,000 for 90% of the jobs.
Skoufis details the IDA’s failure to consider job quality and the impact on taxpayers. He also talks about a petition with over 1,000 signatures urging the state monitor to overturn the decision. Skoufis highlights that he is leading an investigation into the rising cost of home insurance in New York, aiming to protect policyholders and address the housing crisis.
You can watch the full interview above. And be sure to tune in for a look inside the biggest issues impacting upstate New York, on In Focus with JoDee Kenney — every Sunday on Spectrum News 1.