Legislators approve LDC

Westchester officially has a local development corporation.

At Monday”™s board meeting, legislators approved the creation of an LDC, ending months of conflict between the board and County Executive Robert Astorino over how much power the LDC gave Astorino.

An LDC issues tax-free, low-interest bonds to nonprofit organizations. Astorino created an LDC in January 2012 after the Westchester County Industrial Development Agency lost bonding power in 2008.

The approved LDC will have seven seats, including ones appointed by the majority and minority leader and a seat by a labor representative.

Astorino called the passage a win-win for Westchester.

The LDC “can save nonprofits a great deal of money in financing costs, and it can do so at no risk, and at no cost, to taxpayers,” Astorino said in a statement. “We”™re excited to help and there are numerous hospitals, colleges and other nonprofits lining up to take advantage of this tremendous resource, and in the process, help create more jobs.”

Chairman Ken Jenkins (D-Yonkers) praised the collaboration of the board and Astorino.

“Both the board and the administration shared a common goal to create a solid law that will promote smart growth around the county and provide short- and long-term jobs for residents,” Jenkins said in a statement. “To finalize this bill, a good deal of dialogue and deliberation took place, which proves again that we can effectively work together in the best interests of our residents and business owners.”

The new LDC’s powers, committed through no cost to taxpayers, are limited to assisting capital projects undertaken by not-for-profit corporations by the issuance of bonds and other financial obligations or refinancing bonds originally issued by the Westchester County Industrial Development Agency and the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York for not-for-profit corporations.