Dozens of people lined up outside the County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency's meeting today to protest the organization. Some people even called COMIDA incompetent. They say COMIDA is wasting taxpayer money and does not really support local jobs.
Town of Brighton leaders say they have repeatedly tried to get COMIDA to recoup $60,000 dollars in mortgage tax breaks given to the Wellesley Inn for a recent renovation.
Wellesley backed out of an agreement to use local labor on the project, and COMIDA terminated the tax break. But the town hasn't gotten any of its share of the money yet.
Ray Tierney, Brighton Town Council Member, said, “This is money that the town and the county are entitled to, and more importantly, this board doesn't function. It shouldn't be waiting for town council members and town governments to sign resolutions to ask them to enforce their own policy.”
COMIDA'S executive director said she could not directly answer Brighton's complaint.
COMIDA Executive Director Judy Siel said, “It's between the attorneys. There's some kind of resolution that's been put forward by the town of Brighton that what they think was done by the IDA was improper. And so our attorney does not feel...there's two sides to every story.”
Councilman Tierney says the actions of COMIDA board are arrogant and incompetent.
Tierney added, “If it comes off that I'm upset, I am. This shouldn't be dragging on. This is simple. The agreement was terminated. They're entitled to no benefits. Why isn't somebody doing more to recoup that money?”
Brighton councilman Tierney says COMIDA incentives drive up your tax bill. COMIDA gave away $14 million in property, sales and mortgage tax breaks over a ten-year period. The county, towns and schools lost more than $4.5 million in property taxes alone.
COMIDA is authorized under state law to give tax breaks to help local businesses expand, and attract new companies here.
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