In order to receive the benefits in the Empire Zone Program, a business must be located within the designated area of the Zone and plan to expand and create new jobs. If your business is already located in the Empire Zone, we invite you to call the Otsego County Economic Development Department (607) 432-8871 or e-mail hartz@otsegocounty.com to explore the program in more detail. We will meet with you to explain the tax benefits and work with your business to guarantee all the program has to offer.

Once the business is in the Empire Zone Boundaries, an Application for Joint Certification of an Empire Zone Business Enterprise must be completed, and sent to the local Zone Certifying Officer where it will be signed and fowarded to the New York Department of Economic Development..

The application requests information about actual or projected investments a business or property owner is planning for the Zone facility, as well as the existing and projected employment at the facility. In addition, the business must agree to list all job openings with the Otsego County Department of Labor and submit a brief annual report to the Zone Coordinator.

The Otsego County Economic Development staff will assist businesses with the application, review the completed form, and forward it on to the New York State Department of Labor and the New York Department of Economic Deveolopment for final certification. Typically, within eight weeks the business will receive a Certificate of Eligibility entitling the business to all the Empire Zone benefits.

Instructions for 2009 Zone Application                                      2009 Zone Certification Application