New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. today released the following statement concerning the New York City Industrial Development Agency’s (IDA) decision to hold a special meeting on Inauguration Day – January 20th - to vote on additional financing for the new stadiums for the Yankees and Mets:

It’s unbelievably outrageous that the IDA would choose a pivotal moment in our country’s history to hold this meeting. It’s obvious this was planned for one reason: to hope that a distracted public will not pay attention to a highly controversial deal.

Authorizing new bonds for the Yankees and Mets stadium projects at the same time a new president is taking the oath of office is a slap in the face to all New Yorkers. There have been a number of concerns and questions raised about the financing of these two projects.

It is likewise incredibly disturbing that the Notice of Public Hearing has not yet been posted on the IDA’s Web site – as required by its own rules - so the people can have an opportunity to weigh in.

I urge the IDA to post hearing details on its site, and identify a much better date for the vote. There are, after all, 364 other days next year, many of them suitable.

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