News Blog

This morning, the Monroe County Industrial Development Agency's board approved a package of property and sales tax incentives for Xerox.

Xerox sought the incentive for a potential expansion of its Webster toner production plant. Under the package, Xerox would get approximately $441,500 worth of tax breaks over a 10-year period. The company says it'll create 25 positions if it expands the toner plant.

But Xerox hasn't yet decided whether it will expand the facility. The company needs to increase its global toner production, but it's also considering expansions at facilities in Canada, Japan, and the Netherlands, COMIDA executive director Judy Seil said during this morning's meeting.

Bill McKee, a Xerox spokesperson, told the board that the company's executive team would take the incentives under consideration. The company will let the COMIDA board know its decision by the end of the month, McKee said.

If the company moves forward with the Webster expansion, it plans to spend $5 million to add 50,000 square feet to the building and $30 million to buy new equipment. McKee says the project would employ approximately 70 construction workers for more than a year and most of the money spent on the equipment would stay in New York state.

Webster Supervisor Ron Nesbitt opposed the incentives. He said the company is profitable, has laid off a substantial number of local workers in the recent past, and is suing the town to get its assessment lowered. During a public hearing this week, Webster village Mayor John Cahill expressed agreement with Nesbitt, Seil said.