Pictured Above: Rachel Wilson of the Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation wears an ATM costume during a news conference that was held by the Coalition for Economic Justice (CEJ) to draw attention to the need to fix New York State's "broken economic development programs."  Also taking part in the Downtown Buffalo news conference are CEJ Organizer Andy Reynolds (holding papers in his hand) while answering questions from local media.  (Photo provided to WNYLaborToday.com by the Coalition for Economic Justice)

(BUFFALO) - A life-sized ATM machine representing taxpayers was featured in a skit held in Downtown Buffalo Friday by the Coalition for Economic Justice (CEJ) to illustrate how New York State's economic development programs waste public money and fail to create quality jobs. 

The CEJ provided a creative performance of an Industrial Development Agency (IDA) board meeting to show how the State's many IDAs use taxpayers like ATM machines before delivering a wake-up call to State Senators William Stachowski and Antoine Thompson of Buffalo that its time to fix New York's "broken economic development programs, create quality jobs, and put the State" on the road to recovery.    

"The one-hundred-and-fifteen IDAs across New York State might not have ATMs in their lobbies, but the skit we performed isn't too far a cry from what happens regularly here in Erie County and across the state," said the CEJ's Terrence Robinson, who performed in the skit.  "In a time of great economic uncertainty for many individuals and families across the state, including here in Buffalo, IDAs are spending more of our taxpayer dollars, and doing less for our communities." 

With the end of the State's legislative calendar ending next week, the CEJ is calling on the Senate to act on substantive reforms that would include long-term solutions to the failings of New York's economic development programs, particularly its IDAs.

"The New York State Assembly has consistently acted in support of IDA reform, but for reform efforts to move forward the Senate needs to wake up and realize it's time to work with the Assembly to craft a winning bill," CEJ Executive Director Allison Duwe said.  "We're delivering our wake up call to Western New York majority Senators Stachowski and Thompson, asking them to work with the Assembly and Senate Leadership to fix our broken economic development system and put folks to work in quality jobs." 

IDAs are the main engine for economic development throughout New York, awarding tax exemptions and tax-free bond financing to businesses in return for job creation and retention. 

However, a new audit released in May by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli showed that spending by IDAs increased, while job creation decreased.  The report, based on 2008 data, showed net tax exemptions grew 9% over the previous year to $645 million, but job creation decreased nearly 14%. 

"IDAs have been failing us for too long," CEJ Organizer Andy Reynolds said. "IDAs are now giving away six-hundred-and-forty-five-million dollars in net tax exemptions each year.  We're facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.  We can no longer afford to let IDAs and corporations use taxpayers like their own personal ATMs.  Six-hundred-and-forty-five-million dollars is not an insignificant amount of money.  Combine that figure with the half a billion dollars we throw away each year through the Empire Zone program and the money starts to add up."

The CEJ is a co-anchor with New York Jobs with Justice of the New York IDA Coalition, which is a broad coalition of public policy experts, government watchdogs, Labor Unions, community and faith-based organizations, and concerned small business owners, workers and taxpayers.