The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "Empire Zone" ...
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The Great Empire Zone Giveaway
"One of New York's top business-incentive programs wasted millions of dollars a year in tax money. New York tried to keep secret the waste in the $600-million-a-year Empire Zone."
Tags: Empire Zone; real estate; Home Depot; law firms; tax; FOIA
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The Great Empire Zone Giveaway
The Empire Zone program in New York is meant to "reward new and expanding businesses" but has been mistakenly doling out large sums to companies that do not merit them. For instance: an out-of-state power company was using century-old plants, and did not expand, but received $22 million a year. "Hundreds of companies changed their names to appear on paper to be new businesses, so they could collect the maximum tax breaks available to startup companies." Also, a shopping-mall developer promised expansion, but has been receiving $9 million a year with no new building. Of the top 10 companies receiving Empire Zone money (a total of $56 million a year for the group), some added workers, but others cut jobs.
Tags: Empire Zone; fraud; business; business expansion; job contraction
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Spalliero's Empire
Developer Anthony Spalliero was charged and indicted by a federal grand jury in 2005 for bribing the former mayor and others in exchange for building and zoning approvals. Although the Asbury Park Press reported on Spalliero's close involvement with local officials since 2003, after his arrest the Press unearthed thousands of pages of documents detailing lawsuits, regulatory records, land transactions and other information detailing Spalliero's empire. Among other findings, the four-day series revealed that Spalliero maintained two families at once, videotaped a pornographic movie of a girlfriend having sex with another man, violated building laws and broke agreements with business partners.
Tags: corruption; building violations; New Jersey; Florida; Marlboro
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Empire Zones
Empire Zones is New York's program of business incentives that gives companies hundreds of millions of dollars in tax payers money to start business and increase employment. However, the present business establishment milks some loopholes in the existing law, much to their own lucrative benefits. While some companies are allowed to simply change their names and be treated as new businesses; others eliminate all their state taxes for a decade by doing as little hiring as one person. The series also shows that "some of Syracuse's biggest commercial buildings could get millions in tax relief for doing almost nothing".
Tags: Empire Zone Law; Gov. George Pataki; McAuliffe; Duke's Realty Co.
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Failed Empire
Jack Kemp, a Buffalo congressman, initiated an enterprise project - the Empire Zone program to revitalize decaying urban areas. As the reporters from the Buffalo News found out the finances allotted for this project was used to provide tax breaks to law firms, fast-food restaurants and other corporations. After this series of articles were published, the speaker of the New York State Assembly proposed changes in the Empire Zone program
Tags: Jack Kemp; Buffalo congressman; Empire Zone program; tax breaks to firms; fraud with funds; New York Assembly