Aug 10, 2007 — There are 11 Empire Zones in the North Country. All include businesses that have received letters from the state and must account for their low investment or job creation. The numbers range from just three in the Franklin County zone to more than 50 in Watertown. Victoria Zinser-Johnson is coordinator of the Clinton County Empire Zone. There 7 of 40 participating businesses received warnings from the state. One has since gone bankrupt. Zinser-Johnson told David Sommerstein she's encouraging the remaining six to set up a meeting with her to review their Empire Zone commitments.  Go to full article

Jul 19, 2007 — The state tax department has started sending out letters to homeowners, telling them they are eligible for property tax rebates. But to get the checks, homeowners first have to fill out a form. Tax officials say, it really isn't as hard as it seems. Karen DeWitt reports.  Go to full article

Jan 11, 2007 — Eliot Spitzer made clear during his campaign for Governor and in his State of the State speech that cutting New York's property taxes is a top priority. At a conference at Albany's Rockefeller Institute, experts agreed that New York's highest in the nation combined state and local taxes are a major problem, and offered some solutions. Karen DeWitt reports.  Go to full article

Jan 09, 2007 — Martha Foley reports on Governor Spitzer's response to a state court's ruling on a law that would require the state to collect taxes on non-natives who buy cigarettes at native-owned stores.  Go to full article

May 19, 2006 — Governor Pataki says he will sign the gas tax cut bill passed by the legislature. The governor says he doesn't think the legislation goes far enough, and some lawmakers agree with him. Karen DeWitt reports.  Go to full article

May 16, 2006 — Voters in New York have the opportunity to vote on their local school budgets today. Schools say extra aid from the Governor and legislature this year have helped keep costs down to property taxpayers. Karen DeWitt reports.  Go to full article

May 16, 2006 — Martha Foley has the regional view on today's school budget votes.  Go to full article

May 03, 2006 — As gas prices remain above 3 dollars a gallon across most of the North Country, lawmakers in Albany want to give drivers some relief. They've targeted the 4% state tax on gasoline. But politics as usual is getting in the way. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

Feb 08, 2006 — Dairy farmers will join New York and Vermont's congressional delegations to fight a proposed "milk tax" in President Bush's 2007 executive budget. The budget calls for a 3 cent fee on every hundredweight of milk. It also cuts a milk price compensation program by 5 percent. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

Apr 04, 2005 — As a part of the budget, lawmakers agreed to extend one of the state's main economic development programs. The Empire Zones program gives more than 9,000 businesses tax credits to locate in New York and create jobs. There are almost a dozen Empire Zones in northern New York. The new legislation heightens reporting requirements for companies that get tax breaks. And it links benefits more closely to job creation. It extends the program until 2015. David Sommerstein spoke with North Country Assemblyman Darrel Aubertine. He says the program is designed to help distressed communities.  Go to full article