Signing onto the letter to Empire State Development were the organizations Reinvent Albany, Citizens Budget Commission, Citizens Union, Common Cause New York, League of Women Voters of New York State and NY Public Interest Research Group.

Calls for the database began after a massive pay-to-play corruption case involving upstate New York developers who were involved in the Buffalo Billion economic development program. The case would also draw in former SUNY Poly President Alain Kaloyeros and Joe Percoco, a former close aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo.