Onondaga County Comptroller Robert Antonacci wants to audit a development project under the control of the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency but has been turned down. OCIDA's board voted to reject Antonacci's request to open its books claiming it is an independent state agency and beyond the county comptroller's jurisdiction.
The dispute arose from a recent OCIDA decision to hire a Rochester based company to market the Clay Business Park on Route 31 to potential businesses. Antonacci wanted to review the decision making process that led to the hiring of an out-of-town company. Moreover he's concerned about OCIDA's pending request to the Onondaga County Legislature to approve $5.8 million to extend sewer lines to the Clay Business Park.
Antonacci told CNY Central's Jim Kenyon, "Now the taxpayers of Onondaga County are being asked for an investment of $5.8 million. I have to ask, should we be giving this kind of money to an agency that refuses to cooperate with the elected comptroller? I hope that answer is no."
OCIDA attorney, Anthony Rivizzigno said "we're separate, we respond to the New York State Authorities Board." Rivizzigno added that it supplies annual audits to that board which are posted on its website. Rivizzigno read from a letter that OCIDA will send to the county comptroller. "We believe that preserving this independence protects both OCIDA and the county and the 'audit by your office' would erode that independence."
Antonacci however feels OCIDA is no different from any other county department under his jurisdiction because OCIDA uses county facilities and staff to conduct its business. Rivizzigno says OCIDA reimburses Onondaga County for those costs.
Comptroller Antonacci refers to the undeveloped Clay Business Park as a "field of dreams." He added, "We've had some high profile local developments that we just haven't gotten our arms around, Destiny, the S.U. Bookstore. Haven't we learned our lesson? Let's open up the books. Let's get the this independently elected official and have him take a look at it. What's to hide?"
