Policies

In general, the IDA avoids offering incentives to businesses that will compete with or displace existing Tompkins County businesses. It prefers to assist those businesses that have a market for products or services extending beyond Tompkins County including “back office” operations and regional or national headquarters. The IDA will also assist companies selling their product or service in the County when it is clear their primary competition is from outside of the County.

Below is a list of Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency’s Policies and Procedures.

Procurement Policy
Recapture PolicyRecapture policies are a response to a concern that public sector economic development incentives are not achieving desired results. There have been several national, high profile examples of large public sector investments in private sector developments that, by any measure, have not yielded the new jobs or taxes projected.
Tompkins County has been fortunate in that the return on public sector investment in private sector development has generally met or exceeded expectations. As the County moves forward with a more aggressive economic development strategy, perhaps including an external marketing campaign, it is appropriate to adopt a policy that maximizes the return on public investment in economic development.
Code of EthicsThe Board of Directors of the Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency recognizes that there are rules of ethical conduct for board members, employees, or administrators that must be observed if a high degree of moral conduct is to be obtained and if public confidence is to be maintained.  It is the purpose of this Standard of Conduct to promulgate these rules of ethical conduct for the board members, employees, or administrators of the Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency.  These rules shall serve as a guide for official conduct of the board members, employees, or administrators of the Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency.