State Wants to Pull Tax Credits From Some Companies ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - Twenty six companies that received benefits from New York's Empire State Development are at risk of losing them.

ESD offers New York State tax credits to companies that invest in depressed areas and agree to create new jobs. But the agency began a clean-up last July, to strike companies that aren't making good on their promises from its rolls.

ESD spokesperson Stefanie Zakowicz says removing the 26 companies from the benefits rolls would net the state 3-point-2 million dollars.

None of the businesses at risk of losing their certification are in Rochester, but of the 171 companies that provided the least economic return to the state compared to the benefits they were receiving, 12 are in Monroe County. Those include Greece Town Mall, the Gateway Business Center, and Midtown Rochester Properties. Analysis done by the Democrat and Chronicle in March 2007 showed that those three businesses were among the top recipients of ESD benefits.

Zakowicz says ESD has only begun to investigate low-performing companies, and that more could be removed from its benefits rolls as the process continues.

An official at Wilmorite, parent company of Greece Town Mall, one of the lowest performing companies, gave no comment about ESD's investigation. A call to Midtown Rochester Properties was directed to a PR firm that also offered no comment as of mid afternoon.
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