Serving Manhasset
Real Esate, Banking & Finance 015 ection • june 5, 2 cations special s dia / litmor publi a blank slate me
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Friday, June 5, 2015
vol. 3, no. 23
GUIde TO ReAL eSTATe, BOYS LACROSSe TOwN OKS BANKING ANd FINANCe TeAm wINS L.I. TITLe TRANSGeNdeR pAGe 29-44 pAGe 2 PROReCTIONS pAGe 6
Big tax breaks, few jobs from county IdA
S TA N d I N G u p T o B u L Ly I N G
Maragos calls for changes; IDA cites 2013 Sandy aid BY B I LL SAN ANTONIO Tax breaks on projects approved by the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency were more than 10 times higher per job created than the state’s median level in 2013, a year that saw statewide increases on exemptions awarded to businesses but fewer jobs created, according to a recently issued report from state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office. Having netted just 1,835 jobs in 2013, the most recent year for which statistics are available, Nassau lagged behind nearby Suffolk (14,080) and Westchester (7,982) counties despite approving more projects (278) and exemptions ($69,165,084) than its downstate peers, according to the report. Nassau granted $23,611 in exemptions for every job it gained, eclipsing Suffolk ($644) and West-
chester ($1,563), according to the report. DiNapoli’s office calculated the state median at $2,095 per job gained. In addition, Nassau recouped just 37 percent of the exemptions through payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreements with businesses, less than the 59 percent recovered by Suffolk and the 67 percent Westchester got back. Nassau issued $43,325,571 in net tax exemptions — tax exemptions minus payments in lieu of taxes — greater than the $13,164,205 issued in Suffolk and $25,730,802 in Westchester. “The State Comptroller’s audit demonstrates that the Nassau IDA has badly underperformed the rest of the State and the region,” Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos said in a statement. “The Nassau IDA is costing the county money and jobs. This is unacceptable and immediate change is required.” Continued on Page 59
PHOTO BY MARTHA GORFEIN
Students, parents and community activists participated in the 3rd Annual Bullying Awareness Walk at North Hempstead Beach Park on May 30. Read story on Page 12.
Insurer run by Manhasset man linked to Skelos probe BY B I LL SAN ANTONIO
Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) secured payments and medical benefits for his son A Roslyn-based insurance Adam Skelos from an unidenticompany is talking to investi- fied malpractice firm. A spokesman for Physigators probing whether former state Senate Majority Leader cians Reciprocal Insurers, the
second largest medical malpractice firm in the state, said in an e-mail to Newsday that “We are aware that the U.S. Attorney is investigating Dean Skelos and his son Adam. PRI Continued on Page 59
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