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Article: Empire Zone tax breaks attacked at hearing: Legislators, critics question economic development program's effectiveness, suggest shutting it down.
- Article from:
- Times Union (Albany, NY)
- Article date:
- May 9, 2007
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 Times Union. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Chris Churchill
May 9--ALBANY -- The state's Empire Zone economic development program came under scathing criticism Tuesday during a legislative hearing, with some Democratic lawmakers suggesting the program should by halted.
The zones, as part of a program started in 1986, provide tax breaks to companies within a designated geography. Since 2000, Empire Zones have given companies statewide nearly $3 billion in tax breaks.
The Republican administration of Gov. George Pataki expanded and widely used the program, but state economic development officials under Gov. Eliot Spitzer, a Democrat, say they are looking at ways to improve the ...