OCIDA Monitor Veto of Amazon Tax Break- Monitor's VETO Letter And Skoufis Comments

“For years, if not decades, the Orange County IDA has used and abused the taxpayers they are supposed to serve. Their latest gambit -- a fly-by-night approval of $80 million in property tax breaks for a 3.2 million square foot Amazon warehouse here in our community, an incentive that is so obviously not warranted or needed -- is as offensive as it is expensive. 

“I am grateful to the state-appointed monitor, Brian Sanvidge, for his unbiased and thoughtful veto of this reckless giveaway. The monitor’s action protects Orange County's taxpayers and represents exactly why I successfully fought so hard to have a monitor installed: The IDA has lost all trust as they, without exception, continue to put corporate interests ahead of taxpayer interests. 

“While this veto holds the Orange County IDA accountable for their rogue, reckless behavior, it also provides them an opportunity to hit a reset button and reconsider how to proceed in a manner that protects our community’s hardworking taxpayers.”

Tax Break VETO Letter

NOTICE OF VIOLATION

Regarding the Authorization of the

Orange County Industrial Development Agency

With Scannell Properties #600, LLC and Amazon.com Services LLC Project

WHEREAS, on October 23, 2025, the Orange County Industrial Development Agency ("OCIDA") authorized for Scannell Properties #600, LLC and Amazon.com Services LLC (the "Company"), among other things, (i) the financing of a proposed project consisting of thedemolition of the existing underutilized properties and redevelopment and construction of a

3,200,000 sq ft building, located at 22 McBride Road, Slate Hill, New York 10973, and (ii) a 15-year PILOT in connection with the foregoing, resulting in the Company receiving $80,208,325 intax savings over that 15-year time period (the “Scannell/Amazon Project”);WHEREAS, I, Brian Sanvidge, was appointed as the Independent New York StateMonitor (“Monitor”) for OCIDA by the New York State Inspector General, eƯective March 1,2024; WHEREAS, Section 912.2(f)(vi) of the New York General Municipal Law, excerpted

below, provides the Monitor with certain rights to nullify contracts or financialassistanceapproved by OCIDA:

The monitor shall have seventy-two hours after any contract or financial assistance is approved to review such financialassistance or contract, and if a violation of policy related to the industrial development agency's uniform tax exemption policy required by section eight hundred seventy-four of this article, a conflict of interest, or a violation of law is identified during such time period, the monitor shall notify the industrial developmentagency in writing. Any such contract or financial assistance soidentified by the monitor shall not be legally binding or eƯective and may not be reconsidered by the board for at least ten days or until the next board meeting.

WHEREAS, on October 24, 2025, I received a letter from Senator James Skoufis,

requesting that I “veto” the Scannell/Amazon Project pursuant to Section 912.2(f)(vi) of the New York General Municipal Law. In that letter, Senator Skoufis stated the authorization by OCIDA was “a clear, unequivocal violation of the Uniform Tax Exemption Policy (UTEP).” Mr. Skoufis also stated that OCIDA failed to “assess . . . the quality and salary of jobs projected to

be created, onsite childcare provided by the applicant to prospective employees,

demonstrated public support for the project, the eƯect of the proposed project on the environment, and the need for additional municipal services.”

WHEREAS, on October 24, 2025, the parties to this matter – the Company and OCIDA –discussed this situation via phone and email, and agreed in writing as of October 27, 2025 to toll the statutory time limit to issue a veto, such that:

the 72 hour veto period will re-commence upon the earlier to occur of: (i) 5:00 pm on Tuesday, October, 28, 2025, if I have not submitted additional questions to OCIDA counsel by that time; or (ii) OCIDA counsel’s submission of a response letter addressing both Senator Skoufis’s comments and any additional questions I submit on or before 5:00 pm on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.

WHEREAS, I timely submitted Senator Skoufis’s questions and my own questions to OCIDA by the requested deadline, but OCIDA and the Company failed to provide adequateresponses;

WHEREAS, Amazon and OCIDA orally agreed to continue tolling the 72-hour veto period until I received suƯicient information from the Company to make an informed decision; WHEREAS, by email dated November 19, 2025, I emailed OCIDA and the Company to provide any objections they may have to the oral extension of the tolling period, but received no response;

WHEREAS, by email dated November 21, 2025, having not received any objections, I informed OCIDA and the Company that I was “proceeding on the basis that you are in agreement that my 72-hour veto period continues to be tolled until I receive suƯicient information from Scannell/Amazon to make an informed decision,” and I proposed severaldates to have a have discussion to “reach a conclusion.”

To date I have not received a responsefrom OCIDA or the Company;

NOW THEREFORE, RESOLVED, I, Brian Sanvidge, hereby notify OCIDA in writing that the October 23, 2025 Authorizing Resolution relating to the OCIDA approval of the Scannell Properties #600, LLC and Amazon.com Services LLC project is not legally binding or eƯective and may not be reconsidered by OCIDA for at least ten days or until the next board meeting.

___________________________

Brian Sanvidge, NYS Monitor

Date: November 25, 2025