…The county’s Industrial Development Agency (IDA) is looking into whether Bernardo reneged on promises to create 20 full-time positions when he built Skate Time 209 in Accord three years ago, in exchange for tax breaks from the IDA.
“The IDA gives out significant tax breaks to businesses. Mr. Bernardo’s business received over $100,000 in sales tax and other taxpayer-backed benefits with his Skate Time 209 project. The problem is, to get those benefits you have to make job-creation promises, and he lied to the taxpayers of Ulster County,” Hein said…
Read the entire article here. As a neighbor said, it makes for an interesting re-reading… especially with how things have played out.
Rochester Smoke Out 
It’s about time !!!!!!!!!!
Why doesn’t the IDA act on the terms of the said contract? Why have a contract if not upheld?
IDA doesn’t act because David O’Halloran, Bernardo’s best buddy, is the Chairman of IDA.
This article is from 2008… fast forward to 2012… and still nothing has been done… no accountability – based on this alone you should all have seen this coming when she was elected to the legislature and then became chair… surprised? Well you shouldn’t be – the writing was on the wall (internet, newspapers, blogs, etc…)
Yep…illegal, but no punishment. Voting all these abusers out of office is about all we can do, so lets get together on this and get them all out.
Can the IDA be held liable? Whose job is it to oversee the IDA’s spending/recouping taxpayer monies?
8:48 – I’m not an attorney but have lived here long enough to be able to answer both of your questions for you.
1. This is Bernardo World and nobody is liable when the Bernardos are involved.
2. Anything that has to do with the Bernardos in Bernardo World is overseen by the Bernardos.
Any further questions?
Who oversees the IDA? The Ulster County Legislature. Who sits as County Chairwoman? Yep. Who endorses legislative candidates and had back door deals to put wifey in the Chair or you’ll never see another election? Self appointed czar Len. Then there is IDA appointment David O’Halloran. Does this County reek of corruption or what?
Sickening is about all I can say