Major Unions, Faith, Human Services and Watchdog Groups Urge Assembly to Rein In Secretive Corporate Subsidies

May 27, 2022

New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness • Reinvent Albany
ALIGN-NY • Alliance for Quality Education (AQE)
American Economic Liberties Project • Citizen Action of New York
Communication Workers of America, District 1
Dr. Mildred E. Warner, Dept. of City & Regional Planning, Cornell University
Fight Corporate Monopolies • Fiscal Policy Institute • FPWA
Good Jobs First • Health and Welfare Council of Long Island
Human Services Council of New York
Metro New York Healthcare for All 
New York State Council of Churches
New York State United Teachers (NYSUT)
 New York Statewide Senior Action Council, Inc.
NYC Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC) • NYPIRG 
NYS AFL-CIO • Public Employees Federation (PEF)
Tenants PAC • Strong Economy for All
United Neighborhood Houses • United University Professions (UUP)
Westchester for Change

Major Unions, Faith, Human Services and Watchdog Groups Urge Assembly to Rein In Secretive Corporate Subsidies

Dear Speaker Heastie:

We urge the Assembly to keep working with their Democratic colleagues in the Senate and pass common sense bills that: 

  • End State Tax Breaks for Super Rich Opportunity Zone Investors
  • Restore Comptroller’s Review of Business Subsidy Contracts
  • Increase Common-Sense Transparency for Business Subsidies

Thank you Speaker Heastie and the NYS Assembly for passing AM Solages’ bill increasing the transparency of the Empire State Development Authority’s Community Advisory Councils.

This is a good start, and we urge you to keep passing more common sense measures to bring transparency and accountability to the $5 Billion a year New York State taxpayers spend subsidizing large corporations. It is time for the Assembly to end the irrational state tax breaks for wealthy real estate investors in federal Opportunity Zones, and restore the Comptroller’s contract review power. 

With only a few remaining session days it’s the Assembly’s turn to lead. The Senate has already passed smart bills that take on the secretive, unaccountable, and often wasteful subsidies that overwhelmingly benefit the wealthiest New Yorkers.

We urge the Assembly Majority to immediately pass these bills already passed by the Senate:

  • A Complete End to State Opportunity Zone Tax Breaks: A8081-A (Dinowitz) (Same-as S6800-A passed Senate). Unfortunately, there was a loophole in the FY 2021 budget language ending New York’s tax breaks for investors in federal Opportunity Zones. That loophole could cost NY taxpayers $420 million a year starting in 2029.
     
  • Restoration of Comptroller Review Over State Contracts: A7925-A (Zebrowski) (Same-as S6809-A, passed Senate). This bill restores the Office of the State Comptroller’s hundred year old oversight for certain state contracts. Some of these contracts include OGS centralized contracts that exceed $85,000, as well as purchase orders and other procurement transactions issued under such centralized contracts, as well as certain SUNY contracts.
     
  • End Non-Disclosure Agreements in State Contracting Act: A9092 (Solages) (Same-as S1196 passed Senate).  Prohibits confidentiality and non-disclosure provisions from being included in state or local economic development contracts.
     
  • Ban On Incentivized Movements Within the State: A6993-A (Wallace) (Same-as S1656-A passed Senate). This bill prohibits Industrial Development Agencies from incentivizing movements within the state where any plant, facility, or personnel of the project occupant are abandoned or removed.
     
  • Cost Comparison For Consultant Services: A8159 (Bronson) (Same-as S5356 passed Senate). This bill sets forth conditions when an agency shall enter into a contract for consultant services. The bill requires agencies to conduct a cost comparison prior to entering into a contract for consultant services to determine if there is a less expensive alternative.
     
  • State Disaster Emergency Contract Review: (Not yet introduced in Assembly.) (S8062 passed Senate). Ensures the Office of the State Comptroller’s authority to review state contracts prior to ratification, under sections 112 and 163 of the state finance law, remains intact during a state disaster emergency that extends beyond 30 days.

Thank you for passing:

  • Empire State Development Transparency: A9622 (Solages) (Same-as S8419-A passed Senate). This bill requires Empire State Development to publicly post the listing of community advisory committee members, and community advisory committee meeting agendas, materials, and minutes, on the corporation’s website.
  • New York State Authorities Control Board Voting: A10157 (Paulin) (Same-as S7337 passed Senate). This bill restores the PACB’s independence from the Governor. It will repeal changes to the PACB statute enacted by demand of the former Governor in 2019.

Note: This letter originally suggested that the Assembly had not passed a bill reversing changes to the Public Authorities Control Board. The letter has been amended to address this error. The Assembly passed the bill on May 11.