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Friday, June 5, 2015
vol. 64, no. 23
ne 5, 2015 ection • ju s special s
Real esTaTe, BaNKING & FINaNCe
HeRRICKs, ew sCHools RaNK amoNG BesT
PAGeS 29-44
PAGe 4
PORTUGAL PRide
TowN aPPRoVes TRaNsGeNdeR PRoTeCTIoNs PAGe 6
Big tax breaks, few jobs from county idA 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 Westchester ($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 paymentin-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. Continued on Page 59
EPA completes clean up of former Mineola plant PHOTO (C) 2015 MARTHA GORFEIN PHOTOCONCEPTS
An estimated 12,000 people turned out for the Mineola Portugal Day parade, setting a New York record for largest Portuguese-themed event. See story on page 3.
Questions of back taxes, ownership remain By Ja m es G a l l o w ay The Environmental Protection Agency said it has completed remediation of the former Jackson Steel Plant in Mineola after a 15-year cleanup of contamination sprouting from the company’s improper disposal of hazardous degreasers.
At a May 22 meeting set up by Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-Garden City) with EPA representatives and state, county and village officials, the EPA said it had restored toxic chemicals and vapors at the plant at 435 First St. and nearby properties to levels the agency deems safe. The EPA took control of
the Jackson Steel plant, which opened as early as 1970 and closed in 1991, about a decade ago after designating it a Superfund Site in need of emergency remediation, according to EPA documents. The EPA must now determine a plan to monitor toxicity levels and ensure they remain at safe levels. Continued on Page 58
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