OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

Hon. Stephanie A. Miner, Mayor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: December 15, 2015

CONTACT: Alexander Marion

Press Secretary (315) 448-8044

CITY TAKES LEGAL ACTION AGAINST

COR DEVELOPMENT OVER INNER HARBOR
TAX DEAL WITH COUNTY IDA
Tax Breaks Approved Today By OCIDA Will Reportedly Save COR
Approximately $44 Million
Miner: I Cant Stand By While Millions of Dollars in Public Funds
Go To a Developer Without Securing a Binding Agreement for Jobs
For Citizens Most in Need of Work
SYRACUSE, N.Y. The City of Syracuse today began legal action against COR Development
Company, LLC regarding its action to seek a special tax deal with Onondaga County Industrial
Development Authority (OCIDA). The City maintains COR deliberately sought a tax relief deal
from OCIDA to allow the company to avoid a community benefits agreement with the City that
would have bound COR to provide project-related jobs to city residents.
We are taking this action because the people of Syracuse deserve more than a promise of
trickledown economic development in exchange for another sweetheart tax break worth
millions, said Syracuse Mayor Stephanie A. Miner. It has been the policy of my
administration to extend a PILOT agreement only if there is a commensurate community benefit
to the public written into the deal. By doing this end run with OCIDA, COR avoided entering
into a binding agreement to meet perhaps our most pressing need: to provide jobs and training to
people so they can escape poverty.
"The recent OCIDA vote to give COR a PILOT was done with absolute disregard for the Citys
taxpayers, said Common Councilor Khalid Bey, who chairs the Councils economic
development committee. Go figure that this public entity would blatantly ignore the wishes and
best interests of the Citys residents. OCIDAs action circumvents the City's leverage to assure
work opportunities and affordable living for City residents. Its actions like this that engenders a
distaste for government in so many."
233 EAST WASHINGTON STREET * SYRACUSE, NEW YORK 13202
315-448-8005 | www.syrgov.net
Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | Flickr | Instagram

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

Hon. Stephanie A. Miner, Mayor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: December 15, 2015

CONTACT: Alexander Marion

Press Secretary (315) 448-8044

In its lawsuit, the City maintains that COR deliberately deceived the City about its intention to
seek a PILOT agreement to avoid negotiating a specific community benefits agreement. The City
of Syracuse states that throughout its 4 year working relationship, COR repeatedly stated it
would not seek, and did not ask to negotiate, a special tax deal known as a payment in lieu of
taxes (PILOT).
The City pointed out that COR sought a tax deal with OCIDA which does not have a Minority
and Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) preference policy. MWBE policies have been
used for years by governments to assure that projects benefiting from public monies set goals for
a minimum percentage of the projects contacts to go to minority and women-owned businesses.
The Syracuse Industrial Development Agency (SIDA), which COR sidestepped, has an MWBE
policy. It states that projects that receive agency support provide, and use its best efforts to
provide, opportunities for the purchase of equipment, goods and services from: (i) business
enterprises located in the City of Syracuse; (ii) certified minority and/or woman-owned business
enterprises; and, (iii) business enterprises that employ residents of the City of Syracuse.
Consideration will be given by the Agency to the projects efforts to comply, and compliance,
with this objective at any time an extension of benefits is awarded, or involvement by the
Agency with the project, is requested by the project.
Unlike OCIDA, SIDA is required to spend 100 percent of its fees generated when it issues bonds
for projects within the City of Syracuse. Most recently, SIDA spent $1.5 million on property
demolitions in the City.
As an example of a successful commitment to job creation, the Mayor cited the first phase of the
Joint Schools Construction Board. For that $150 million construction project, the City achieved
its goal of 15 percent for MWBE subcontractors. It also achieved another goal of 10 percent of
women and minority workers on the job. In addition, the JSCB also funded a job training
program.
Mayor Miner added: Today, OCIDA gave COR a tax benefit agreement with no real and
effective community benefit to the people of Syracuse.

233 EAST WASHINGTON STREET * SYRACUSE, NEW YORK 13202

315-448-8005 | www.syrgov.net
Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | Flickr | Instagram

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

Hon. Stephanie A. Miner, Mayor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: December 15, 2015

CONTACT: Alexander Marion

Press Secretary (315) 448-8044

The Inner Harbor is composed of a number of valuable parcels of developable land in the City of
Syracuse. COR has been the recipient of almost $32 million in taxpayer subsidies, including
$1.5 million in City revenues for infrastructure improvements.
###

233 EAST WASHINGTON STREET * SYRACUSE, NEW YORK 13202

315-448-8005 | www.syrgov.net
Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | Flickr | Instagram