In last week's column, I posed the question “Stealth IDA at work or is it no work at all?” It now appears that it's more the latter.

On June 19, I spoke with a Cayuga County legislator and gained a little more insight into the workings of the county's industrial development agency. Not much more, except that they have to be quiet about any ongoing projects or it could blow the deal.

First of all, Jon Christopher, the county IDA director is no longer with us. He was hired for only one year via a grant out of a Syracuse agency which wasn't renewed. So we really didn't have anyone who was dedicated to Cayuga County's growth because there was no incentive for him to “bust his chops” in that he was history after a year.

As to the issue of GE moving to Auburn #- nobody from the county IDA had contacted GE but said they would “check it out.”

We'll see.

We then spoke about the potential of Advanced Micro Devices Inc. building a computer chip manufacturing plant in Cayuga County. He said this was pursued but turned out to be a “dead deal” because AMD decided to expand their facility in Dresden, Germany instead. “End of story.”

But hark! On Tuesday, what did I hear on NPR radio but that AMD is about to build a chip plant in the Albany area. So much for being a “dead deal” and “end of story.”

And for the county IDA to not even know about this other huge $3.5 billion plant opportunity is absurd. Most likely they knew but didn't want to upset their extended “good ole boy” apple cart.

According to the June 20, Albany Times Union: “Construction of a chip making plant on a 600-acre site in the Luther Forest Technology Campus, located in Bruno's district, would create about 2,000 construction jobs for up to two years and help add another 3,000 jobs to companies created to support plant operations, said Ken Green, president of the Saratoga Economic Development Corp.”

Coincidentally - did you notice that this plant is going to be built in Republican Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno's district? Bada-bing, bada-bang!

And did you catch the other item: Saratoga Economic Development Corp. has a president and not a one year grant-funded director. Maybe that helped, too?

Hey, this Cayuga County Republican controlled Legislature can't buck what Bruno wants. Remember, party cohesiveness is more important than the revitalization, growth and 5,000 high paying jobs for Cayuga County. And so the stellar leadership of Albany's corruption and deal-making marches on. These people make GWB proud!

And what about the other “Auburn” IDAs? More Sgt. Schultz syndromes?

Thanks again for not even trying, guys.

Good grief! Will these people ever clean up their act and start working together?

It's your money.

Bill Balyszak's column appears each Monday in The Citizen