Berkshire Hathaway’s is expanding its operations site for GEICO Insurance Agency at its Amherst, N.Y. service center, investing $2.4 million and creating about 300 new jobs over three years. The insurer and New York Gov. David A. Paterson’s office said GEICO Insurance Agency will sell homeowners, renters, boat and other insurance coverages, according to joint statement.
GEICO was given $1.5 million in tax credits over the next five years to support the multimillion dollar expansion project by the Empire State Development Corp. after being designated a “regionally significant project.” The company will also get breaks on sales tax on some equipment purchases and receive low-cost power from the New York Power Authority.
Gov. Patterson participated in a press conference announcing the expansion. He used the opportunity to call on state lawmakers to rein in the cost of doing business and borrowed from the insurer’s advertising to declare, “We are going to make it so easy to come into the state, that even a caveman could do it.”
August 26, 2009