Burns touts Cambria County in meeting with Amazon
Lawmaker takes next step in luring massive investments to the region
Rep. Frank Burns October 8, 2019 | 9:09 AM
EBENSBURG, Oct. 8 – In his latest effort to bring good-paying jobs and economic development to the region, state Rep. Frank Burns said he met with Amazon’s point person for Pennsylvania about Cambria County’s competitive advantage thanks to its recent Keystone Opportunity Zone designation.
Burns, D-Cambria, recently met with Jillian Irvin in his Capitol office as a follow-up to his correspondence with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos inviting him to tour Cambria County in the company’s search for future offices and distribution centers.
“Meeting face-to-face with Amazon’s liaison to Pennsylvania was the next step in the process of getting Amazon to Cambria County,” Burns said. “I explained how the KOZ works and how Amazon could take advantage of this incredible economic development tool. Where others have snubbed the retail giant’s proposed investments, I let her know our area would welcome them with open arms.”
Burns spearheaded the effort in this year’s state budget to reserve a KOZ of up to 375 acres in Cambria County. A KOZ designation allows for state and local tax benefits within specific underdeveloped and underutilized areas of the state. Land within the zone can be large plots or subdivided into parcels of fewer than 10 acres.
Irvin told Burns that Amazon is more interested in working with cities and states that want them rather than those that protest their relocation efforts. She plans to share the KOZ information with Amazon’s real estate location scouts, Burns noted.
“I will never give up on our region because I know we have the workforce and the resources to make any business thrive,” Burns said. “Whether it’s Amazon or another major corporation, I will continue to work with employers to see the advantages of locating in Cambria County.”