OCIDA Monitor Position Extended for Another 3 Years, Powers Expanded

MOUNT HOPE, N.Y.—The state-appointed monitor position for the Orange County Industrial Development Agency (OCIDA) has been extended for an additional three years and given greater powers over the agency.

State Sen. James Skoufis, as well as state Assemblymembers Jonathan Jacobson and Chris Eachus, announced on May 22 at a press conference that the extension for the monitor position had been passed in a budget bill the day before. Skoufis said state Assemblymember Paula Kay was also key in passing the extension.

The state monitor, Brian Sanvidge, has the power to veto the agency’s decisions and also sits in on meetings and issues reports on the actions of OCIDA to ensure that they follow the law and taxpayer interests. The position is funded by the development agency.

Sanvidge vetoed an $80 million property tax cut for an Amazon warehouse that was planned to be built in Wawayanda and reported that 15 companies given tax breaks by the agency were underperforming on job creation.

The industrial development agency monitor position was pushed by Skoufis in 2023. The unique position came about after it was found that the agency had given an unnecessary $2.7 million tax exemption to Milmar Food Group. A state-appointed monitor does not exist elsewhere in the United States.

Skoufis said during the press conference that the monitor can now stop votes that are against state law, have conflicts of interest, or are against taxpayers’ interests before any voting occurs.

Sanvidge told The Epoch Times in a phone interview on May 25 that the power is a useful tool, saying there were times when there was no proper communication with him before voting occurred. He spoke of one situation where the agency board allegedly went into an executive session without him to hire a lobbyist. He now has the power to shut down votes that illegally take place without the monitor.

The monitor said that the expansion of the position’s power was “absolutely necessary with the level of cooperation that the IDA has shown the monitor, and their failure to even answer emails, exclude me from meetings, and violate state statute multiple times.”

The OCIDA told The Epoch Times on May 26 that they are disappointed that representatives in the state legislature ignored the facts about the agency and impede the attraction of businesses to the area and that the OCIDA is focused on faithfully and transparently using their tools to grow and strengthen Orange County’s economy.

Skoufis said another power now given to the monitor is that he can force the clawing back of funds from businesses that received benefits but failed to meet job creation goals.

State law allows development agencies to take back granted benefits when companies do not make good on job promises. In those cases, the companies would be required to pay back some or all of the taxes they were exempted from.

Sanvidge said the agency had discussed clawing back money from one of the 15 underperforming companies. He said these businesses need to be looked at more seriously as to whether action should be taken and that actions should be proportional to the individual situations of each company.

The OCIDA is a semigovernmental public benefit corporation. The agency’s goal is to promote industrial and economic growth in Orange County, and it benefits from having the flexibility and incentives of a private company while serving the public interest.

The board at the agency also oversees another nonprofit organization called the Orange County Funding Corp., which has the ability to move money in ways that a government entity cannot. Skoufis said that the monitor’s powers now extend over that organization as well.

Sanvidge said he was present for all the Orange County Funding Corp. meetings, although he had no power over it.

An additional power added to the monitor’s position is the ability to sue the development agency for nonpayment, Skoufis said. When there are issues with nonpayment, the agency will be legally prevented from voting on new incentives or contracts.

Skoufis said this specification was made because the industrial development agency has not been properly paying the monitor for the past six months.

Sanvidge said the agency stopped paying him in October 2025 and has paid him 10 to 20 percent of his pay sporadically since.

The monitor said the industrial development agency has not paid for legal fees he has incurred from lawsuits against him, his firm Anchin, and the New York State Offices of the Inspector General.

The OCIDA stated on Jan. 16 that it had filed a lawsuit over Sanvidge’s decision to veto the $80 million tax break for the planned Wawayanda Amazon eCommerce fulfillment center.