Resident wants more information on grant for business in Yates

Editor:

So much for transparency. At a public hearing March 10 in the Town of Yates, there was a hearing on a community block grant for the purpose of ? The amount of ? I was told at the beginning of the hearing that questions could be asked but no one had to answer them if they didn’t want to.

So why were IDA representatives there, including IDA board members, a county legislator and the owner of the business that will be taking our tax dollars and NONE would answer any questions? Oh I did get some response from Mr. Whipple (CEO of the Orleans Economic Development Agency) that this wasn’t a pilot program and that my questions where my own opinions.

Excuse me, my opinions were formed from and words were used from the horrible audit on the IDA from the NYS Comptroller – something the IDA is still in denial of. Ms. Barone (EDA vice president of business development) stated some “Hillary” facts that in all the years she has been at IDA that they have always made sure that the job hiring projections were met, except the comptrollers report says there was no way of knowing that because of incompetence. From the audit: “The Board and COIDA officials do not adequately monitor projects to ensure that the businesses are held accountable and are achieving, or making progress toward, job and investment goals.” Click here to see the full report.

The audit reports are given and it is up to the citizen to hold those accountable to do the right thing with our tax dollars. I feel I’m not the only one who is sick of the abuse by the people who take our money, turn around and run a business into the ground and walk away because of incompetent appointed officials who hand out our monies like casino chips with no stipulations. Only at a casino you have to buy and gamble with your own chips. I only ask that the public’s investment be protected. For that I am a Peoria. The people work hard for that money that is taken from them by force and we have less of it to spare.

I want to see development in my town very much. I am not anti-development but I cannot support giving someone money when I break my back all year to pay excessive taxes and none will answer my questions and have the attitude that they don’t have to.

Here is my opinion. It is better to answer questions to me and others at the meeting whether you like them or not. Now we can discuss it for all to see in the news media.

The embarrassing audit is published again for all to see. All it accomplished was further mistrust and a solidification that there are two classes of people – the slaves and the ruling class.

Disgusted.

Paul Lauricella Jr.
Lyndonville