SUBJECT:

PURPOSE:

ALBANY
Wednesday
June 2, 2004
11:00 AM
Hamilton Hearing Room B
Legislative Office Building
Second Floor
Albany, NY

The Empire Zones Program, enacted in 2000, was intended to serve as a development tool to promote economic activity in distressed communities characterized by poverty and unemployment. To stimulate job creation, the program provides a range of tax benefits to attract employers to locate and to expand within a zone.

In response to the growing evidence of program abuses, the lack of programmatic oversight, and the program's scheduled expiration date of July 31, 2004, the Assembly Committees conducted a public hearing on the Empire Zones Program on April 26, 2004. This hearing continues our examination of the program's operation and administration.

Oral testimony will be by invitation only and limited to 15 minutes' duration. In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committees will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to Committees' staff as early as possible. In the absence of a request, witnesses will be scheduled in the order in which reply forms are postmarked.

Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committees would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements.

Individuals or organizations not invited to testify may submit written testimony at the hearing or send it to the address below.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.

PUBLIC HEARING REPLY FORM

Persons invited to present testimony at the public hearing on Empire Zone Reform are requested to complete this reply form as soon as possible and mail it to:

Benita Leigh-Lewis
Committee Assistant
Room 520 - Capitol
Albany, New York 12248
E-Mail: leighlb@assembly.state.ny.us
Phone: (518) 455-4928
Fax: (518) 455-5182

I will require assistance and/or handicapped accessibility information. Please specify the type of assistance required: