2006/07/05
The problem with appointed boards
The Syracuse Industrial Development Agency (SIDA) today voted to enact a tax deal for an expanded Carousel Center, taking the mall off the tax rolls for 30 years.
In doing so, SIDA went around the Syracuse Common Council, which rejected a settlement offer two weeks ago. The agency may also have broken open meeting laws, as it's not clear the meeting was posted in time.
The problem with SIDA as an agency in general, is that its members serve entirely at the whim of the mayor. They do not serve at the will the people, and the people they are supposed to serve have no way to ensure that SIDA members have any expertise in their field. If they do something the mayor doesn't like, it's bu-bye.
The thing to do now is write to the Common Council, asking members to follow through with an appeal of Judge John Centra's March 9 ruling. For more info and sample letters, click here.
In doing so, SIDA went around the Syracuse Common Council, which rejected a settlement offer two weeks ago. The agency may also have broken open meeting laws, as it's not clear the meeting was posted in time.
The problem with SIDA as an agency in general, is that its members serve entirely at the whim of the mayor. They do not serve at the will the people, and the people they are supposed to serve have no way to ensure that SIDA members have any expertise in their field. If they do something the mayor doesn't like, it's bu-bye.
The thing to do now is write to the Common Council, asking members to follow through with an appeal of Judge John Centra's March 9 ruling. For more info and sample letters, click here.
