Comptroller rips Andy’s ‘lower goals’ jobs push

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli slammed Gov. Cuomo’s primary economic-development engine Sunday, saying it has failed to hold companies that get state tax breaks accountable.

DiNapoli, who was fielding questions on John Catsimatidis’ 970 AM radio show, said lapses in the Empire State Development Corp. and its Excelsior jobs program, which issues tax credits, are becoming more apparent as the economic recovery falters.

“Empire State Development has not done the type of documentation that they should, in terms of who’s coming into the program,” he said.

“When they had certain goals set for job creation, if companies fell short . . . they lowered the goals. And that really shouldn’t be the best way for that program to run.”

The agency didn’t take long to shoot back.

“The comptroller is entitled to his own opinion — which is all over his reports — but not his own facts,” said ESDC spokesman Jason Conwall. “These credits are perfor- mance-based and are only awarded once goals are met and verified.”

While 800,000 jobs have been created in the state over the past several years, areas like the Southern Tier and Syracuse have lagged behind, DiNapoli noted.