Page 44 - 2021 Westchester County Economic Development Guide

Westchester Forward
Westchester County
Office of Economic Development
Here For You
In good times and in challenging times, Westchester County provides the support, networking, guidance and tax incentives to help your business thrive.
WESTCHESTER COUNTY OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
www.westchestercatalyst.com
The Westchester County Office of Economic Development attracts and retains businesses and talent, offering business resources and financial assistance through the Industrial Development Agency (IDA), the Local Development Corporation (LDC) and a range of business services.
Westchester Office of Economic Development Director Bridget Gibbons
Office of Economic Development Director Bridget Gibbons highlights the office’s upcoming initiatives in support- ing Westchester’s business community and overall economy.
What are the Office of Economic Development’s priorities for 2021? Our top priority for the coming year is to implement our Sector-Based Economic Development Strategy. We analyzed Westchester’s economic landscape and distilled our findings into a long-term strategy that will enable us to have the biggest possible impact.
We’ll be focusing on four key sectors: Biosciences, Advanced Manufacturing, Fintech (Financial Technology) and Clean Energy.
Why were these specific
sectors chosen?
These sectors offer well-paying jobs and represent a good match with the highly- educated workforce here in the County. These sectors also showed resilience in the face of COVID-19. In fact, in the cases of Bioscience and Advanced Manufacturing, some of the businesses were integral to Westchester’s response to the pandemic.
What are the initial steps you
are taking?
We are establishing sector-specific task forces with representation from businesses within the sector, the Business Council of Westchester and the Westchester County Association, as well as workforce development experts, representatives from higher education and others.
In what ways will these individuals lend their expertise?
We’re creating distinct “Industry Desks” for each sector, and we’ll lean on task force members to be the brain trust to help us advise companies in Westchester looking to grow or those seeking to move their business to Westchester. Companies in these sectors are encouraged to contact these industry desks at biosciences@westchestergov.com, fintech@westchestergov.com, advancedmanufacturing@ westchestergov.com and cleanenergy@westchestergov.com.
What happens from there?
We are establishing working groups within the task forces to break through barriers and have a laser focus on facilitating growth in these sectors. A primary focus initially will be to tackle workforce issues, but we’ll also work on solutions related to financing/funding, supply chain, land use and regulatory issues, as well as any other priorities for the businesses in the sectors.
What’s another way for a business to seek assistance from the OED?
It’s easy! Call me at 914-995-2900 and we can discuss how we and our partners can help you.
OTHER ENTITIES
THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY www.westchestercatalyst.com/ Programs-Incentives
Created to promote and encourage economic development in the County, The IDA is an agency focused on helping to create and retain high-quality jobs, by offering mortgage recording tax exemptions, sales tax exemptions and taxable or tax-exempt bonds.
Annually, the IDA supports projects which account for hundreds of millions of dollars in private investment in housing, biosciences, mixed- use development, historic building renovation and reconstruction.
THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY LOCAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (LDC) www.westchestercatalyst.com/ Programs-Incentives
Provides low-cost, tax-exempt bond financing for non-profit organizations
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WESTCHESTER COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE