HUDSON- Since being designated in November of 2001 the Columbia County Empire Zone has been working to support economic development in the area. The staff of the Columbia Hudson Partnership and the Zone Administrative Board have been coordinating with local officials and members of the business community to spread the word of the EZ’s benefits. In the Columbia County Empire Zone 14 new and existing business have successfully applied for the Certification of an Empire Zone Business Enterprise required to be eligible for the significant tax credits and other benefits. These businesses range from large corporations like Kaz and Hudson River Bank & Trust to smaller businesses including several professional offices such as doctors, accountants, and engineers.

The Empire Zones Program was created by New York State to stimulate economic growth. The program provides a variety of financial incentives, including tax credits, sales tax exemptions and utility rate reductions, designed to attract new businesses to these areas and to enable existing businesses to expand both creating new jobs.

The 14 local businesses, which have submitted applications, project creating 134 full-time and 17 part-time jobs in 2002 and 2003 while retaining 822 and 33 full and part time positions respectively. Through building, renovations, equipment upgrades, and other expenses over $5.25 million are expected to be invested by these local businesses. Additionally the projected annual sales of these EZ businesses totals over $155 million. “These numbers are impressive and reflect the support Empire Zone benefits can have for creating jobs and fostering business investment.” notes Gerry Simons, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors and Co-Chair of the Zone Administrative Board, “We expect this to be the start of a solid foundation for the Columbia County Empire Zone to build upon.”

Applications for Empire Zone Certification are available at the Columbia Hudson Partnership’s offices for interested businesses to complete and return for review. “Local businesses are the lifeblood of any community and the Columbia County Empire Zone is eager to provide hands-on assistance to help businesses make the most of the opportunities.” states Hudson Mayor and Co-Chair of the Zone Administrative Board Rick Scalera, “While we strive to improve the economic and quality of life climate in Columbia County, I’m confident the Empire Zone is the stimulus needed to accomplish that goal.”

The success and momentum thus far started in early November as representatives from Federal, State, and local levels met in Hudson to announce the designation of the Columbia County Empire Zone. Congressman John Sweeney joined a group of officials and local citizens as he reinforced the economic and community development potential the Empire Zones program have successfully brought to the existing zones. He and others praised the efforts made to ensure Columbia County can take advantage of the opportunities the EZ can give businesses.

Then in December the Partnership hosted the first informational session on the new Columbia Empire Zone. Over 75 people representing 50 different businesses participated in the morning meeting. A panel including representatives from: the Empire State Development Corporation Empire Zones Program, the New York State Department of Taxation & Finance, and the New York State Department of Labor, outlined the scope of the program, eligibility requirements, and benefits, offered to businesses within the zone.

Since, the Partnership has worked with various groups and networks throughout the area making presentations and describing the EZ and its benefits. Also individual businesses expressing interest have been assisted in reviewing the qualifications and benefits available form the EZ. Another informational session is planned for the future to allow more interested businesses access to the process and information required for EZ benefits.

The Columbia County Empire Zone benefits certified businesses by decreasing operating costs through the various tax credits and other program savings, this in turn makes Columbia County more competitive for new businesses to locate and existing businesses to expand.

HUDSON – A web site highlighting the full range of economic incentives for businesses that locate their operations within the Columbia Empire Zone is now “live” on the Internet at www.columbiaezone.com.

Empire Zones are designated areas in the County and state that offer special incentives to economic development, business investment and job creation.

“We’re fortunate to have an abundance of open land, existing industrial and commercial buildings and a highly skilled labor force ready to go,” said Todd Erling of the Columbia-Hudson Partnership, the public-private economic development agency that administers the Columbia Empire Zone. “And of course Columbia County is blessed with a quality of life that makes us one of the fastest growing and most desirable areas for locating a business and re-locating families,” he said.

Designed by midhudsonmedia, the highly streamlined web site clearly spells out the wide range of potential tax breaks and other incentives available to qualified businesses. There’s even a Zone Calculator to help determine the total approximate tax savings for interested firms.

In addition, an online list of eligibility criteria as well as an outline of Empire Zone certification answer demystifies the qualification process for any prospective Empire Zone business operator. And the exhaustive list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) provides additional eligibility and tax information -- virtually down to the last detail. The page of Resources is rich in links to state agencies and private organizations that provide assistance to prospective Empire Zone businesses.

As for the physical specifics of the Columbia Empire Zone itself, click on “Zones” and up come descriptions and photos of four distinct Zone Areas – from the City of Hudson to the Towns of Greenport, Ghent, Livingston and Claverack. Backing up Erling’s assertion about the lure of Columbia County is a meticulously arranged section that provides soup-to-nuts coverage on everything from high-tech infrastructure and the jet-ready airport, to the quality of County schools and the cultural attractions that speak to the County’s rich history.

Our lifestyle is basically slow and rural by its very nature, said the Partnership’s Erling. “But people are amazed by the sheer depth of our business and telecommunications infrastructure.”

The Columbia-Hudson Partnership offers free technical assistance to small businesses located in the County.  For more information on determining Empire Zone eligibility for your business, call Todd Erling at 518.828.4718 or email him at info@chpartnership.net.

Columbia Storage on Route 9 in the town of Livingston has become the first business in the Columbia County Empire Zone to receive a New York State Empire Zones Program Certificate of Eligibility.  The Empire Zone certification allows Columbia Storage to take advantage of the benefits established by the state program, including various tax credits.  Members of the Livingston Town Council, the Columbia County Board of Supervisors and the Columbia County Empire Zone Administrative Board will join together on Thursday (April 24, 2002) at the plant in Livingston to announce the first business certification in the Columbia County Empire Zone.

Columbia Storage, LLC was formed by partners Carmen Nero and Alain Foster and is part of a revitalization of the former Entenmann's facility south of Hudson.  Entenmann's closed the plant in 2000 and Nero and Foster have purchased the plant and brought the buildings back to life.  Through foresight, entrepreneurial spirit and industry knowledge Columbia Storage is successfully operating the facility for both dry goods and refrigerated products; including apples in controlled atmosphere storage for local farmers, ingredients and raw product for several large commercial bakeries, and wheels of premium cheese imported from Holland. 

Nero and Foster have more planned for the former fruit processing plant.  The partners have two more businesses applying for Empire Zone Certification.  The first Mad Pak, using a popular European food-packaging concept, is processing applesauce in squeezable pouches for the snack food industry.  The second Best Pak, focuses on processing the wheels of cheese stored at Columbia Storage.  The processing includes cutting, Cryovac packaging and labeling for retail store distribution throughout North America. 

The Columbia County Empire Zone designation benefits certified businesses by decreasing operating costs through the various tax credits and other program savings, this in turn makes Columbia County a more competitive for new businesses to locate and existing businesses to expand.

Qualified Empire Zone Enterprises (QEZEs) will be eligible for enhanced sales, property and business tax credits for new businesses locating in and existing businesses expanding in the Zone.  The creation of an Empire Zone is intended to give companies increasing employment the opportunity to operate in an extremely 'business-friendly' environment for up to ten years, with additional benefits available on a declining sliding scale in years 11 through 15.  The benefits are described on several web sites: http://www.nylovesbiz.com/Tax_and_Financial_Incentives/Empire_Zones/default.asp
www.tax.state.ny.us/sbc/empire_zone.htm, and www.semi-ny.com/financial/edz.cfm

Some of the enhanced benefits available to businesses in the Empire Zone include, but are not limited to:

• QEZE Sales Tax Exemptions. Qualified Empire Zone Enterprises are granted a 10-year exemption from State sales tax on purchases of goods and services (including utility services).
• QEZE Credit for Real Property Taxes. Qualified Empire Zone Enterprises are allowed a refundable credit against business tax equal to a percentage of real property taxes paid in the zone.
• QEZE Tax Reduction Credit.  Qualified Empire Zone Enterprises are allowed a credit against tax equal to a percentage of taxes attributable to the zone enterprise.
• Wage Tax Credit (WTC).  This credit is available for up to five consecutive years for companies hiring full-time employees in newly created jobs.
• EZ Investment Tax and Employment Incentives Credit (ITC-EIC).  Businesses that create new jobs and make new investments in production, property and equipment may qualify for tax credits of up to 19% of the company's eligible investment.
• New Business Refund.  Businesses new to New York are entitled to a 50% cash refund of unused EZ-WTC and ITC amounts.  Other businesses may carry forward unused credits indefinitely.
• Sales Tax Refund.  Purchases of building materials to be used for commercial or industrial real property located in an EZ are eligible for a refund of NYS sales tax.
• Utility Rate Reductions - Varies by utility.  Businesses that locate or expand their operations in an Empire Zone may receive significantly reduced rates.

Last, but certainly not least, professional technical assistance will be available from the Partnership to assist businesses considering locating or expanding in the EZ.  These benefits are just some examples on how the Empire Zone can help both business and property owners. 

CONTACTS:
Jim Galvin, Interim Executive Director of the Columbia Hudson Partnership
Todd Erling, Columbia County Empire Zone Director
Columbia Hudson Partnership 518-828-4718
444 Warren Street
Hudson, NY 12534