Jumpstart Brookhaven Initiative to Create Jobs

A public hearing has been set for Brookhaven Supervisor Mark Lesko’s Jumpstart Brookhaven program, which could open up more than 2,000 jobs in the town.

According to the town, the program will refund building and planning fees by 20 percent for qualifying economic development projects that have been approved by the Town Board if they get shovels in the ground in 2012. The town also said it is estimated that Jumpstart Brookhaven can create more than 1,600 construction jobs and between 1,400 and 4,000 permanent jobs in the Town.

“Jumpstart Brookhaven will give the local economy a shot in the arm,” Lesko said. “This program will encourage the implementation of projects that already have their Town approvals and will result in the creation of thousands of jobs, and in some cases, the elimination of monuments to blight.”

The town said in order for a project to qualify for Jumpstart Brookhaven, the project must be a construction of 110,000 square feet or more of commercial or industrial development, or a construction of 50 or more residential homes or units. The building permit for the project must be obtained after Jan. 1, 2012. 

Projects that qualify will pay their full Building and Planning Department fees upfront and once the foundation of the development’s primary structure is completed the project will receive a 20 percent rebate on the building fees they were charged for that building permit.