State Senate Candidate Tom DePrisco Attacks $3 Million Grant For Private New Square Supermarket

PRESS RELEASE

Tom DePrisco, candidate for the 38th Senate District in New York, on Wednesday released a statement questioning a $3 Million Grant given by Governor Andrew Cuomo’s EDC for a private New Square Supermarket in Senator Carlucci’s Senate District.

“It has been announced that $2,950,000 in taxpayer funds will go toward the building of the new Heritage Park Industrial Complex in New Square. During a recent interview on FIOS 1, my opponent intimated that this project was involved with the START-UP NY program. I did my due diligence and discovered that this project is not eligible for START-UP NY funds because it is a retail business and is not seemingly associated with a New York State college or university. It is eligible, however, by someone’s standards, for Empire State Development funds – nearly $3 million in taxpayer-funded grants for a $6 million building complex.

“So nearly $3 million in taxpayer funds will go toward building the Heritage Park Industrial Complex which is owned by the Community Improvement Council – a 501c3 non-profit organization which has been tax exempt since 1993. This new 30,000 square foot two-story building will house two establishments on separate floors. The Hatzlacha Supermarket Company will oversee the supermarket and a poultry packaging and distribution center on the ground floor while Share of New Square Inc. / CHESED 24 7 – a separate 501c3 non-profit organization which has been tax exempt since 1992 will occupy the second floor.

“Considering the previous attempts to build a poultry slaughterhouse nearby, these plans must be scrutinized to ensure that a slaughterhouse would not be incorporated later on…

“I would have hoped that the Empire State Development Agency and our elected officials would have realized the absurdity of funding half of this project with $3 million in taxpayer funds – funds that could potentially be utilized for other purposes such as another eligible tax ratable or funding for our schools, public safety, infrastructure, etc.”