[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 15 (Wednesday, February 25, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E227]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    IN HONOR OF THE CITY OF ELIZABETH RECEIVING THE 1998 COMMUNITY 
  EMPOWERMENT AWARD FOR THE NATION'S TOP URBAN ENTERPRISE ZONE PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROBERT MENENDEZ

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 25, 1998

  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the city of 
Elizabeth, New Jersey for receiving the 1998 Community Empowerment 
Award from the National Association of State Development Agencies 
(NASDA) for developing the nation's most successful Urban Enterprise 
Zone.
  The city's UEZ program, which is administered by the Elizabeth 
Development Company, beat out more than 3,000 eligible zone program 
participants from 40 states for the honor. The award will be presented 
February 26th at the annual NASDA Awards Luncheon in Washington, D.C.
  In five years Elizabeth's UEZ program has generated over $30 million 
in revenue. In addition, the program has helped jump start over $500 
million in economic development and provide more than 6,000 jobs for 
the region. In the future, the program expects to add 5,000 more jobs 
with the development of the New Jersey Gardens MetroMall.
  Elizabeth's UEZ program is a model for how targeted sales and 
business tax cuts coupled with effective community programs can serve 
to spur growth in our urban areas. This nationally renowned program has 
attracted such visitors as Boston Mayor Tom Menino and has brought 
innovative approaches to nurturing relationships between private and 
public sector agencies.
  I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has 
helped make this program so successful. I would especially like to 
congratulate Elizabeth Mayor Christopher Bollwage; Executive Director 
of the Elizabeth Development Company, Ed Kolling; Deputy Executive 
Director of the EDC, Bill O'Dea; Planning Director, George Devanney; 
UEZ Coordinator, Don Devanney; Senior Project Coordinator, Don 
Goncalves and Community Relations Coordinator, Dave Strochak.

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