It’s no secret that many of the Orange County IDA’s deals – the group that doles out corporate property tax breaks – over the past decade have been bad for our communities. I’ve been vocal about my deep concerns, which is why I fought so long and hard for a state-appointed monitor for the Orange County IDA. Brian Sandvidge was appointed earlier this year, and we have just received his first comprehensive report.
The monitor identified 25 recommendations for improving processes, limiting undue influence, and keeping the IDA leadership in check. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that since the monitor’s appointment earlier this year, we’ve seen no unwarranted corporate welfare thrust onto our Orange County communities.
I’m gratified to see this shift. True oversight works: the monitor’s presence is deterring bad actors from applying for sham deals, keeping taxpayers from getting ripped off, and cleaning up the IDA’s poor practices along the way. The effort to get the monitor appointed was a battle, but I’d do it all over again to ensure more corporations pay their fair share of taxes in our communities.
