Long Island looks for its share of $750 million in state business aid

Up to $750 million in state business aid will be awarded Thursday in a contest between 10 Regional Economic Development Councils established by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.

The governor and leaders of the State Legislature are expected to participate in a ceremony held in a theater near the state Capitol.

The Long Island council has designated 43 projects as top priority and asked for $36.5 million for them.

The biggest request is for $4 million for sewers in eight Suffolk County communities. The project costs a total of $30 million.

Grants also were recommended for further work at the Wyandanch Rising blight-removal project ($3.2 million), a research center at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory ($2 million) and The Meadows at Yaphank housing development near Brookhaven National Laboratory ($1.5 million).

The largest requests for tax credits are $1.5 million each for CareMed Pharmaceutical Services and A&Z Pharmaceutical Inc.

CareMed, a New Hyde Park-based provider of services to pharmacies, plans a $3.4-million expansion that would add 250 people to its workforce of 100.

Hauppauge-based A&Z produces dietary supplements sold primarily in China. The company will invest $44.3 million in a new factory, adding 112 people to its workforce of 168.

Long Island has been a big winner in two of the last three annual competitions.

The local council has secured $244.3 million for 250 building projects, the third largest amount among the 10 regions. Together, the projects are worth $2.2 billion and will create and retain more than 12,000 jobs.

Cuomo started the statewide contest for business aid three years ago. He appointed 10 councils and directed them to devise job-creation plans for a five-year period.