955 – Short Title.

§ 955. Short title. This article shall be known and may be cited as the “New York state empire zones act.”

956 – Statement of Legislative Findings and Declaration.

§ 956. Statement of legislative findings and declaration. It is hereby found and declared that there exist within the state certain areas characterized by persistent and pervasive poverty, high unemployment, limited new job creation, a dependence on public assistance income, dilapidated and abandoned industrial and commercial facilities, and shrinking tax bases. These severe conditions require […]

957 – Definitions.

§ 957. Definitions. As used in this article, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings unless the context shall indicate another or different meaning or intent: (a) “Applicant” shall mean the county, city, town or village submitting an application in the manner authorized by local law for designation of an area as […]

958 – Criteria for Empire Zone Designation.

§ 958. Criteria for empire zone designation. (a) To be eligible for designation as an empire zone, an area must be characterized by pervasive poverty, high unemployment and general economic distress, must correspond to traditional neighborhood or community boundaries, and where appropriate, be bounded by major natural or man-made physical boundaries, such as bodies of […]

959 – Responsibilities of the Commissioner.

§ 959. Responsibilities of the commissioner. The commissioner shall: (a) After consultation with the director of the budget, the commissioner of labor, and the commissioner of taxation and finance, promulgate regulations, which, notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary in the state administrative procedure act, may be adopted on an emergency basis, governing (i) criteria of […]

959-A – Rescinding of Local Incentives.

§ 959-a. Rescinding of local incentives. Should a certified business enterprise in an empire zone be decertified, any local incentive provided by such municipality may be rescinded by local law or resolution by the governing body of such municipality, notwithstanding subdivision five of section four hundred eighty-five-e of the real property tax law.

959-B – Clean Energy Enterprises.

§ 959-b. Clean energy enterprises. (a) For purposes of this section, “clean energy enterprise” shall mean any business primarily engaged in research, development or manufacturing of renewable energy or energy efficiency technologies or products; provided, however, that an initial clean coal electric generating facility capable of capturing carbon dioxide for sequestration or capable of being […]

960 – Designation of Empire Zones.

§ 960. Designation of empire zones. (a) The empire zones designation board is hereby created. Such board shall consist of the commissioner of taxation and finance, the director of the budget, the commissioner of labor and two members to be appointed by the governor; one member to be appointed by the temporary president of the […]

961 – Application for Empire Zone Designation.

§ 961. Application for empire zone designation. (a) A city, county (other than a county located wholly within a city), town or village may adopt a local law authorizing such municipal corporation to prepare and submit an application to the commissioner for designation of an area therein as an empire zone; and the adoption of […]

962 – Empire Zone Development Plan.

§ 962. Empire zone development plan. An empire zone development plan shall be submitted for approval with the commissioner and with the local empire zone administrative board, and shall demonstrate the methods by which the applicant intends to promote the development of new business and the expansion of existing business within the empire zone and […]

963 – Local Administration of Empire Zones.

§ 963. Local administration of empire zones. (a) The local empire zone administrative board shall: (i) develop short-term goals for zone activities on an annual basis; (ii) prepare, or cause to be prepared, an annual report and submit copies to the department of audit and control, department of taxation and finance, the temporary president of […]

964 – Empire Zone Capital Corporations.

§ 964. Empire zone capital corporations. (a) No more than three empire zone capital corporations may be established in each zone for the purpose of raising funds through private and public grants, donations or investments, to be used in making investments in, and loans to, business firms certified pursuant to subdivision (a) of section nine […]

965 – Designation of Empire Zone as a Foreign Trade Zone.

§ 965. Designation of empire zone as a foreign trade zone. Any city, county, town or village which contains an area which is designated an empire zone in accordance with this article, is hereby authorized to make application to the foreign trade zones board established by an act of Congress, approved June eighteenth, nineteen hundred […]

966 – Special Provisions Relating to Empire Zones and Zone Equivalent Areas.

§ 966. Special provisions relating to empire zones and zone equivalent areas. In addition to the benefits provided for in this article, other benefits applicable to empire zones are provided elsewhere in the consolidated laws, and benefits are provided in the case of zone equivalent areas, as follows: (a) For real property tax increase exemption, […]

967 – Division of Taxes by Governmental Bodies.

§ 967. Division of taxes by governmental bodies. (a) The governing board of any city, town, village or county in which an empire zone is located is hereby authorized and empowered to: (i) adopt a local law providing that any taxes levied by or on behalf of such city, town, village or county upon taxable […]

968 – Disposition of Property.

§ 968. Disposition of property. (a) Notwithstanding any provision of any other law to the contrary, in order to further the purposes of the empire zones program, any real or personal property located within an empire zone and owned by any local governmental entity in whose jurisdiction an empire zone is located, may be sold […]

969 – Termination or Revision of an Empire Zone.

§ 969. Termination or revision of an empire zone. (a) Except as provided in this section, any designation of an area as an empire zone shall remain in effect during the period beginning on the date of designation and ending June thirtieth, two thousand ten. (b) After consultation with the director of the budget and […]