More Foreign Trade Zone sites sought BY JAMES SCHLETT Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter James Schlett at 395-3040 or jschlett@dailygazette.net.
The firm that last year took over the Capital Region World Trade Center is stepping up its bid to turn the area into a destination for international business by placing more transportation, storage and industrial sites under the auspices of a federal trade program. Capital District Trade Strategies is eyeing up to 20 properties that could be granted status in the Capital District Foreign Trade Zone. An FTZ is a duty-free port regulated by the U.S. Department of Commerce. CDTS’ expansion campaign promises to establish the region’s first new FTZ site in more than a decade. The zone stretches from Dutchess County to Warren County. It includes four general purpose sites, such as industrial parks, and two subzones, which cover specific companies. At a public information meeting this evening, Albany city and county officials will review local sites that could be added to the zone. The county already houses one FTZ site, the Northeastern Industrial Park, a 551-acre warehousing complex in Guilderland. Other sites that could be included in the county’s zone include Albany International Airport in Colonie, the Port of Albany, the former GE Plastics plant in Selkirk and the Selkirk rail yard, said CDTS President Bill Hooten. “They’ve been very aggressive in going out and drumming up businesses,” said David Wardle, director of information for the Capital District Regional Planning Commission. That Albany organization is the Commerce Department’s grantee of the Capital District FTZ. CDTS, an international management, marketing and consulting firm, in February 2006 became the administrator of the zone. Between 1991 and 2004, the size of the FTZ expanded to include an additional six counties. But the last time a site was added to the zone came in 1997, with the Crossroads Industrial Park in Johnstown, Wardle said. Other general purpose FTZ sites include the Rotterdam Industrial Park and the Rensselaer section of the Port of Albany. “There’s been a lot of interest from a lot of companies in doing more with the Foreign Trade Zone in Schenectady,” said Gary Hughes, chairman of the regional planning commission. Hooten said Schenectady County houses at least five potential new FTZ sites. They might include GE Energy and SI Group properties. In 2006, CDTS also entered a lease-purchase agreement with Schenectady County for the region’s WTC. It relocated the WTC from Schenectady County Community College to downtown Albany. More than $317 billion in business was conducted at FTZs nationwide in 2004. More than 2,500 companies that employed 337,000 Americans were involved in the trade program, according to the National Association of Foreign Trade Zones. “We have some practical things that are driving some particular properties,” said Hooten. Hooten said it would be practical to add to the zone a rail yard near the Port of Albany. Momentive Performance Materials, the owner of the former General Electric Co. silicones plant in Waterford, uses that Albany rail yard as a temporary storage area for bulk materials. Momentive also wants to have its Waterford plant that employs approximately 900 included in the FTZ. FTZ status at Albany International could help the airport lure more international cargo planes by eliminating a federal excise tax on jet fuel, Hooten said. Hooten expects to submit an FTZ expansion application to the Commerce Department in the fourth quarter. He anticipates the federal agency to sign off on the zone site proposals in the second quarter of 2008. Today’s meeting on potential FTZ sites will be held at the Albany County Office Building at 112 State St. in Albany at 7 p.m.
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BIGK75
July 10, 2007, 9:42am
Guest User
So, as I read this, does this mean more jobs, less taxes? There's an innovation. Wonder how it's coming about in a Democrat led state. Goes against everything they believe in.
Well ya see BK....when the FTZ expands to other areas, they will be giving them a tax break...which is okay. But the extra taxes the state does get from them will certainly go toward even more of those government programs or themselves!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Federal Trade Commission From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search
Apex Building, built in 1938 (FTC headquarters) FTC headquarters, Washington, D.C.The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act. Its principal mission is the promotion of consumer protection and the elimination and prevention of anticompetitive business practices.
The Federal Trade Commission Act was one of President Wilson's major acts against trusts. Trusts and trust-busting were significant political concerns during the Progressive Era. Since its inception, the FTC has enforced the provisions of the Clayton Act, a key antitrust statute, as well as the provisions of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. § 41 et seq. Over time, the FTC has been delegated the enforcement of additional business regulation statutes and has promulgated a number of regulations (codified in Title 16 of the Code of Federal Regulations).
Contents [hide] 1 Organization of the Federal Trade Commission 1.1 FTC Chairmen and Commissioners 1.2 Bureau of Consumer Protection 1.3 Bureau of Competition 2 Activities of the FTC 3 Bibliography 4 See also 5 External links
[edit] Organization of the Federal Trade Commission
[edit] FTC Chairmen and Commissioners The Federal Trade Commission is headed by five Commissioners who are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Under the FTC Act, no more than three Commissioners may be from the same political party. A Commissioner's term of office is seven years, and the terms are staggered so that in a given year at most one Commissioner's term expires (although in certain years, no Commissioner's term expires, and in years where Commissioners choose to step down, more than one new Commissioner may be named).
[edit] Bureau of Consumer Protection The Bureau of Consumer Protection’s mandate is to protect consumers against unfair or deceptive acts or practices in commerce. With the written consent of the Commission, Bureau attorneys enforce federal laws related to consumer affairs as well as rules promulgated by the FTC. Its functions include investigations, enforcement actions, and consumer and business education. Areas of principal concern for this bureau are: advertising and marketing, financial products and practices, telemarketing fraud, privacy and identity protection etc. The bureau also is responsible for the United States National Do Not Call Registry.
Under the FTC Act, the Commission has the authority, in most cases, to bring its actions in federal court through its own attorneys. In some consumer protection matters, the FTC appears with, or supports, the U.S. Department of Justice.
[edit] Bureau of Competition The Bureau of Competition is the division of the FTC charged with elimination and prevention of anticompetitive business practices. It accomplishes this through the enforcement of antitrust laws, review of proposed mergers, and investigation into other non-merger business practices that may impair competition. Such non-merger practices include horizontal restraints, involving agreements between direct competitors, and vertical restraints, involving agreements among businesses at different levels in the same industry (such as suppliers and commercial buyers).
The FTC shares enforcement of antitrust laws with the Department of Justice. However, while the FTC is responsible for civil enforcement of antitrust laws, the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice has the power to bring both civil and criminal action in antitrust matters.
The former director of the Bureau of Competition is Jeffrey Schmidt.
[edit] Activities of the FTC The FTC carries out (parties) its mission by investigating issues raised by reports from consumers and businesses, pre-merger notification filings, congressional inquiries, or reports in the media. These issues include, for instance, false advertising and other forms of fraud. FTC investigations may pertain to a single company or an entire industry. If the results of the investigation reveal unlawful conduct, the FTC may seek voluntary compliance by the offending business through a consent order, file an administrative complaint, or initiate federal litigation. Under the FTC Act, the federal courts retain their traditional authority to issue equitable relief, including the appointment of receivers, monitors, the imposition of asset freezes to guard against the spoliation of funds, immediate access to business premises to preserve evidence, and other relief including financial disclosures and expedited discovery. In numerous cases, the FTC employs this authority to combat serious consumer deception or fraud. Additionally, the FTC has rulemaking power to address concerns regarding industry-wide practices. Rules promulgated under this authority are known as Trade Rules.
In the mid-1990s, the FTC launched the fraud sweeps concept where the agency and its federal, state, and local partners filed simultaneous legal actions against multiple telemarketing fraud targets. The first sweeps operation was Project Telesweep[1] in July 1995 which cracked down on 100 business opportunity scams.
In 1984,[2] the FTC began to regulate the funeral service industry in order to protect consumers from deceptive practices. The FTC Funeral Rule[3] requires funeral homes to provide all customers (and potential customers) with a General Price List ("GPL"), specifically outlining goods and services in the funeral industry, as defined by the FTC, and a listing of their prices. By law, the GPL must be presented to all individuals that ask, no one is to be denied a written, retainable copy of the GPL. In 1996, the FTC instituted the Funeral Rule Offenders Program (FROP), under which "funeral homes make a voluntary payment to the U.S. Treasury or appropriate state fund for an amount less than what would likely be sought if the Commission authorized filing a lawsuit for civil penalties. In addition, the funeral homes participate in the NFDA compliance program, which includes a review of the price lists, on-site training of the staff, and follow-up testing and certification on compliance with the Funeral Rule."[2]
[edit]
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
By Ian MacLeod Trade Information Center, Trade Development
What is a Foreign Trade Zone?
Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs) were created in the United States to provide special customs procedures to U.S. plants engaged in international trade-related activities. Duty-free treatment is accorded items that are processed in FTZs and then reexported, and duty payment is deferred on items until they are brought out of the FTZ for sale in the U.S. market. This helps to offset customs advantages available to overseas producers who compete with domestic industry. The Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ) Board (composed of representatives from the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Treasury) has its operational staff in the International Trade Administration's Import Administration.
How can companies benefit from using FTZs?
FTZs are considered to be outside of U.S. Customs Territory for the purpose of customs duty payment. Therefore, goods entering FTZs are not subject to customs tariffs until the goods leave the zone and are formally entered into U.S. Customs Territory. Merchandise that is shipped to foreign countries from FTZs is exempt from duty payments. This provision is especially useful to firms that import components in order to manufacture finished products for export. There is no time limit on goods stored inside a FTZ and certain foreign and domestic merchandise held in FTZs may be exempted from state and local inventory taxes. This allows firms to minimize their costs while their products are waiting to be shipped. In addition, quota restrictions are in some cases waived for items entering an FTZ; however, the restrictions would apply if the items were to enter the U.S. market. A variety of activities can be conducted in a zone, including assembling, packaging, destroying, storing, cleaning, exhibiting, re-packing, distributing, sorting, grading, testing, labeling, repairing, combining with foreign or domestic content, or processing. Manufacturing and processing require specific FTZ Board approval, however.
Can Foreign Trade Zones hurt domestic producers?
FTZ activity must not conflict with U.S. trade policy or harm domestic industry or other domestic plants outside of zones. The FTZ Board requires that zone manufacturing activity result in a significant public benefit and a net positive economic effect. In addition, the U.S. Customs Service supervises all zone activity and ensures that all customs and FTZ Board requirements are observed.
What are the different types of FTZs?
FTZs are divided into general-purpose zones and subzones. The Foreign-Trade Zones Board accepts and reviews applications for both. State or local governments, port authorities, nonprofit organizations, or economic development agencies typically sponsor general-purpose zones. General-purpose zones involve public facilities that can be used by more than one firm, and are most commonly ports or industrial parks used by small to medium sized businesses for warehousing/distribution and some processing/assembly. Subzones, on the other hand, are sponsored by general-purpose zones, but typically involve a single firm's site which is used for more extensive manufacturing/processing or warehousing/distribution that cannot easily be accomplished in a general-purpose zone.
How can I locate a FTZ near me and who do I contact to begin doing business with it?
In order to take advantage of FTZ procedures, you should contact a local FTZ. A geographic list of all FTZs and their telephone numbers is available on the FTZ Board website, http://ia.ita.doc.gov/ftzpage/. Each FTZ has its own requirements for firms that wish to do business with them, but there is a general process that is followed by all. Many FTZs will counsel prospective clients to determine how they can best use the FTZ. Additionally, many FTZs will discuss with their local U.S. Customs Service offices the qualifications of the prospective clients for the zone. If you are interested in finding out more information on zones, you may contact the nearest zone in your state, visit the FTZ website, or call the FTZ staff at 202-482-2862.
Are there FTZs abroad that can help me as an exporter?
Many other countries operate similar special customs zones, such as export processing zones and free trade zones. Interested parties should contact the embassy or customs officials of that country for information and documentation requirements. Contact information for foreign embassies is available by calling 1-800-USA-TRAD(E). Many U.S. freight forwarders also have established contacts with many of these foreign zones and can provide information on the appropriate documentation needed to ship goods through them.
NEW YORK FTZ No. 1 New York City Grantee: City of New York 110 William Street, New York, NY 10038 Patricia Ornst (212) 312-4226 Fax (212) 312-3916 1A Pfizer, Inc. 1B Bulova Corporation New York/ Newark FTZ No. 23 Buffalo Grantee: County of Erie ECIDA, 275 Oak Street, Suite 150 Buffalo, NY 14203 Edward J. Arnold (716) 856-6525 Fax (716) 856-6754 23C Buffalo China Buffalo FTZ No. 34 Niagara County Grantee: Niagara County Industrial Development Agency 6311 Inducon Corporate Dr. Sanborn, NY 14132-9099 Susan Langdon (716) 278-8750 Fax (716) 278-8757 Buffalo FTZ No. 37 Orange County Grantee: County of Orange c/o Orange County Department of Law 255 Main Street, Goshen, NY 10924 Laura Matlow (845) 291-3150 Fax (845) 291-3167 37A GM 37B Bally 37C Schott Lithotec USA Corp New York/ Newark FTZ No. 52 Suffolk County Grantee/Operator: County of Suffolk 1 Trade Zone Drive, Ronkonkoma, NY 11779 Olga Murray (631) 588-5757 Fax (631) 588-6712 foreigntradezone@isliptown.org 52A Festo Corporation New York/ Newark FTZ No. 54 Clinton County Grantee/Operator: Clinton County Area Development Corporation 61 Area Development Drive Plattsburgh, NY 12901 Adore F. Kurtz (51 563-3100 Fax (51 562-2232 Champlain FTZ No. 90 Onondaga Grantee: County of Onondaga c/o Greater Syracuse FTZ, Ltd. 572 S. Salina St., Syracuse, NY 13202-3320 Carol Hill (315) 470-1848 Fax (315) 471-8545 90A Smith-Corona Syracuse FTZ No. 109 Watertown Grantee: The County of Jefferson, c/o Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency, 800 Starbuck Avenue, Suite 800 Watertown, NY 13601 James Fayle (315) 782-5865 Fax (315) 782-7915 109A NY Air Brake Alexandria Bay FTZ No. 111 JFK Intl. Airport Grantee: The City of New York 110 William Street, New York, NY 10038 Patricia Ornst (212) 312-4226 Fax (212) 312-3916 New York/ Newark FTZ No. 118 Ogdensburg Grantee: Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority, One Bridge Plaza Ogdensburg, NY 13669 Joe Tracy (315) 393-4080 Fax (315) 393-7068 Ogdensburg FTZ No. 121 Albany Grantee: Capital District Regional Planning Commission One Park Place, Albany, NY 12205 Chungchin Chen (51 453-0850 Fax (51 453-0856 121A Organichem Corp. Albany FTZ No. 141 Monroe County Grantee: County of Monroe Department of Planning and Development 50 W. Main Street, Suite 8100 Rochester, NY 14614 Judy Seil (585) 753-2020 Fax (585) 753-2028 141A Eastman Kodak 141B Xerox 141D Gleason Corporation Rochester FTZ No. 172 Oneida County Grantee: County of Oneida Operator: Mohawk Valley EDGE 153 Brooks Road, Rome, NY 13441 James P. Castilla (315) 338-0393, Ext. 236 Fax (315) 338-5694 jcastilla@mvedge.org http://www.mvedge.org 172A Oneida Ltd. Utica
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs) were created in the United States to provide special customs procedures to U.S. plants engaged in international trade-related activities. Duty-free treatment is accorded items that are processed in FTZs and then reexported, and duty payment is deferred on items until they are brought out of the FTZ for sale in the U.S. market. This helps to offset customs advantages available to overseas producers who compete with domestic industry. The Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ) Board (composed of representatives from the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Treasury) has its operational staff in the International Trade Administration's Import Administration
.
How can companies benefit from using FTZs?
Quoted Text
FTZs are considered to be outside of U.S. Customs Territory for the purpose of customs duty payment. Therefore, goods entering FTZs are not subject to customs tariffs until the goods leave the zone and are formally entered into U.S. Customs Territory. Merchandise that is shipped to foreign countries from FTZs is exempt from duty payments. This provision is especially useful to firms that import components in order to manufacture finished products for export. There is no time limit on goods stored inside a FTZ and certain foreign and domestic merchandise held in FTZs may be exempted from state and local inventory taxes. This allows firms to minimize their costs while their products are waiting to be shipped. In addition, quota restrictions are in some cases waived for items entering an FTZ; however, the restrictions would apply if the items were to enter the U.S. market. A variety of activities can be conducted in a zone, including assembling, packaging, destroying, storing, cleaning, exhibiting, re-packing, distributing, sorting, grading, testing, labeling, repairing, combining with foreign or domestic content, or processing. Manufacturing and processing require specific FTZ Board approval, however.
Is walmart a participant....?
.....could something like this be placed on Hamburg Street? ie:Grand Union spot,old bowling alley spot etc....I cant shop these areas......?multi-use building......What is Hamburg street zoned???...I forgot....
......maybe we could get some foreign and domestic workers and foreign and domestic pipes to lay sewers....would that help????
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Hey...we're global now...what did we think? I guess this negates the Declaration of INDEPENDENCE, huh?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
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