By Jeanne Sager
HORTONVILLE — January 18, 2002 – Town of Delaware businesses may have a new opportunity to save some money.
The town voted Wednesday night to expand the county’s Empire Zone, a special designation which allows businesses to receive special tax breaks while making improvements to their property.
The Villa Roma Hotel will become the first business in the town to qualify for the incentive program.
The original designation, obtained by County Planning and Zoning Commissioner Alan Sorensen, was for just a few areas of the county, including Monticello, and the new Kohl’s Distribution Center in Wurtsboro.
But, said Town of Delaware Supervisor Bill Moran, the boundaries to that area can be amended to allow other towns to take advantage of the Empire Zone.
The program is aimed at attracting businesses to rural areas, and giving existing businesses an incentive to make improvements.
Businesses in the zone will be able to apply to the state for tax credits and funds to cover building materials and other improvement costs.
There will be no extra cost to the town, Moran said.
Any tax abatements will be made whole by the state so the town will still receive its tax dollars, he told the board.
The Villa Roma Resort approached the town, requesting they be added to the Empire Zone.
Other businesses interested in the zone, should contact the town to see if they qualify and to ask to have the boundary line further amended.