UEZ's Ladd: "We need real discussions showing what this enterprise zone means to New Albany."

The message below is from Michael C. Ladd, Executive Director, New Albany Urban Enterprise Zone Association. It is self-explanatory. For background, here are the three most recent Tribune pieces about the legislation:

LETTERS: Feb. 10, 2010
EDITORIAL: Squashing tax credit would hurt New Albany
Bill to freeze UEZ credits OK’d by State Senate

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Senate Bill 236 has a hearing in the House Ways & Means Committee on Tuesday morning, February 16 at 10:00 a.m. in Indianapolis.

This bill will suspend for two years many of Indiana’s local level economic development incentives. Two of the enterprise zone program’s incentives are included in this bill. But there is more involved than the enterprise zone. The bill would also suspend the teacher summer employment tax credit. The neighborhood assistance credit is involved. It provides that a community revitalization enhancement district tax credit may not be awarded for a qualified investment. It provides that a tax credit may not be awarded a health benefit plan. It also provides that a small employer qualified wellness program tax credit may not be awarded any longer. Lastly, the bill provides that a taxpayer may not claim the patent income exemption with respect to a particular qualified patent unless the first taxable year in which the exemption is claimed begins before January 1, 2011.

Various interest groups are coalescing and have plotted a strategy designed to kill this bill in committee. Right now, the chances are it will get to the floor, where it will be attacked on second reading via amendments.

The zone directors have been asked to show the need for the zones within their respective communities, demonstrated by the usage of their incentives and/or programs operated by the zones.

We have settled on requesting from the community emails of support. We’re going the email route due to time constraints. We’re not looking for platitudes or testimonials. We need real discussions showing what this enterprise zone means to New Albany. This enterprise zone is particularly vulnerable at this time because we are undergoing our 10-year renewal with the Indiana Economic Development Commission. If this bill passes, there will be little reason for IEDC to extend the zone for another five years.

Tell us. We need your stories and support.

Have you used an incentive? Why did you use it and how did it help your business?

Have you participated in a program or a particular project operated by the zone? Tell us why, and what it meant to do so.

Is there a specific project that the zone has done that you think (landscaping/new street furniture (trash cans and benches), youth mentoring program, partnerships that have been created, etc.) has benefited the community?

As a zone employee working in a zone business (or the reverse, an employer hiring zone residents) and have used the employer/employee tax deduction, how has that helped you or your business?

If you have used the investment deduction, how did that help your business?

Has the façade improvement grant program helped when you used it? How did it help? Could you not have accomplished your project without using the grant?
If you are not sure what the zone has done, go to http://www.nauea.org/ and click on the “Past Projects” tab.

Please send your emails to mladd_uea@yahoo.com. We need these by Monday night at 5 p.m. I will print them out and take them with me when I appear before the committee on Tuesday morning.

Thank you for your help.