NORWICH – Chenango County was 13th out of the state’s 82 Empire Zone Programs based on the success of economic development activity last year.

The ranking, awarded by the New York State Empire Zone program, was one of the many positive business statistics reported to the Chenango County Board of Supervisors earlier this week.

The zone program is designed to stimulate economic growth through a variety of state tax incentives to new and existing businesses. While the news media last year pointed out that expansion and jobs have failed to follow behind the tax incentives in many other regions in New York, the Greater Norwich Empire Zone program has prospered, according to Maureen Carpenter, Industrial Development Agency executive director and president of Commerce Chenango.

In 2006-2007, there were 76 businesses in the zone that encompasses locations between the towns of Norwich and North Norwich and includes the City of Norwich. Of those, seven were newly certified last year. The businesses reported 3,167 full-time jobs, with 263 of them created in 2006.

Property tax exemptions in the zones for the 2006/2007 year were $386,500. Total business investment was more than $20 million, which Carpenter described as “pretty substantial for our area.”

Total anticipated tax credits for zone businesses was $2,781,844 with only 31 of 76 certified businesses expected to see credits. The county anticipates $32,500 in zone funding this year year.