ESI Senior Vice President Lee Huang was quoted in a PlanPhilly.com article on the Keystone Opportunity Zone program in Philadelphia. According to the Controller’s report, the KOZ program has abated city and school district taxes by more $380 million, ostensibly stimulating business in the Philadelphia region.
From PlanPhilly’s article:
“Lee Huang, an economist with Econsult Corporation, praised the Controller’s office for looking into the KOZ program. He said he’s looked into it himself, and considers himself a proponent. One thing he recommends is to consider not just whether there’s a dollar-for-dollar return on investment in the program, but whether it’s created an “overall investment effect.”
“I think that while it’s hard to prove, I think it’s pretty clear that there’s a lot of investment that would not have happened but for the KOZ,” Huang said.”