New York Consolidated Laws, General Municipal Law - GMU § 956. Statement of legislative findings and declaration

It is hereby found and declared that there exist within the state certain areas characterized by persistent and pervasive poverty, high unemployment, limited new job creation, a dependence on public assistance income, dilapidated and abandoned industrial and commercial facilities, and shrinking tax bases.  These severe conditions require state government to target for these areas extraordinary economic and human resource development programs in order to stimulate private investment, private business development and job creation.  It is the public policy of the state to offer special incentives and assistance that will promote the development of new businesses, the expansion of existing businesses and the development of human resources within these economically impoverished areas and to do so without encouraging the relocation of business investment from other areas of the state.  It is further found and declared that it is the public policy of the state to achieve these goals through the mutual cooperation of all levels of state and local government and the business community.