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Special Breaking Story
Snapple Beverage Group, and Motts expected to combine headquarters in Rye Brook
Snapple Beverage Group of White Plains and Motts, Inc., of Stamford, Conn., are expected to combine into one integrated company headquartered at 900 King Street in Rye Brook. The relocation will involve more than 400 jobs and a $10.9 million renovation of 135,000 square feet of office space. The Westchester County Office of Economic Development along with Empire State Development and Con Edison worked together to encourage the company to relocate operations from Connecticut and consolidate in Westchester. Snapple has been a Westchester business since 1997 and was purchased by London-based Cadbury Schweppes in 2000.
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Feature
Story
County Wins Decision to Lower Electric Rates 8% to 18%
After
almost four years of legal procedures and persistence by
Westchester County Executive Andy Spano, the New York
State Public Service Commission (PSC) has ordered an end
to a practice where Westchester ratepayers subsidize
those in New York City. The decision means electric
rates for 300,000 Westchester consumers will be reduced
by 8% to 18%. The reduction will be phased in over
three years beginning in May of 2004. With an 8% to 18%
reduction, a typical bill would drop from $83.75 to
$77.39. Spano said "This will
not only reduce rates for the homeowners, but
businesses as well, making Westchester a competitive
place to do business."
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Business Relocation Program
USI
Holdings Moves HQ to Westchester from San Francisco
USI
Holdings Corporation is moving its headquarters from 50
California Street in San Francisco to 555 Pleasantville
Road in Briarcliff. The Briarcliff campus was already
home to 90 employees with the HQ staff adding 12 more.
USI Holdings operates in 20 states and is ranked in the
top 10 insurance brokerages in the United States, with
sales of $325 million in 2002. |
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Economic
Success Story
Tourism
Info Center Completes First Successful Season
Tourism in Westchester County is an important economic engine, generating over $1.4 billion in revenue with nearly 3,000 tourism-related businesses employing 10% of Westchester’s workforce or over 30,000 people. This summer, the Westchester County Office of Tourism opened a new Tourism Information Center at Exit 9 on the northbound Bronx River Parkway in a renovated service station. The center was open on weekends during the summer and on Sundays through October. More than 2,000 travelers visited the center this season. For information please call (800) 833-9282 or link to
www.westchestertourism.com. |
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Business
Service Organization Spotlight
White
Plains Business Improvement District Succeeds
The exciting developments in downtown White Plains have been solidified by the workings of the White Plains B.I.D. or Business Improvement District. Attractive and exciting new programs are administered by the BID such as the new
Renaissance Fountain Plaza, the new faux red brick pedestrian crosswalks, the “Clean Sweeps” litter removal effort, the “Planter Program” for plants and flowers, special events such as the New Year’s Eve Gala and events at the new Performing Arts Center. For information please contact Kathleen Gunn, executive director, at (914) 328-1566 or visit www.whiteplainsdowntown.com. |
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Westchester
County Industrial Development Agency's Small
Business Benefits Program
The
Small Business Initiative
A special program is available to assist small businesses with their plans to expand and grow in Westchester County. Companies that invest between $100,000 and $1 million in equipment, furnishings and fixtures can apply for exemptions on sales and use taxes on eligible purchases. For example, a business spending $250,000 could save over $14,000 in use taxes. There is a five-year limit for the exemptions and a maximum waiver of $100,000. Applications are subject to eligibility standards and approval by the Industrial Development Agency board. To learn more, contact Michael Goodstein at (914) 995-2916 or visit www.westchestergov.com/ida.
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