 From Site Selection magazine, November 2003 
U.S. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
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Colorado
In July, the state office of economic development launched a $50-million loan program targeting companies with 100 or fewer employees, with $20 million designated for manufacturers. The Colorado Economic Development Commission received a one-time infusion of $4.4 million. Beginning January 1, 2004, the Enhanced Rural Enterprise Zone law provides an additional $2,000 per new business facility employee, in addition to the regular enterprise zone tax credit of $500. Also, credits may be carried forward for up to seven years instead of five, and grandfathered enterprise zone extensions have been extended to 10 years. Another change: company information regarding enterprise zone tax credits is now a public record, excluding data regarding salaries or R&D expenditures. At the city level, John Hickenlooper, the new Denver mayor inaugurated in July 2003, has combined several departments into the new Office of Economic Development in order to eliminate inefficiencies and spur projects with an expedited review process. A new law establishes the 13-campus Colorado Community College System as the premier source of basic skills and work force training in the state. The Community College of Denver and Arapahoe Community College are designing and delivering demonstration programs focused on an accelerated model of the 78-credit hour Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program funded the through US Department of Labor and HCA private funding. In addition, Tillman Bishop Unified Technical Education Campus (UTEC) in Grand Junction, in conjunction with Delta-Montrose Area Vocational-Technical Center, began accepting applications for a licensed practical nursing program.
Connecticut
A brownfield redevelopment grant program was authorized. In September, an act authorizing special tax obligation bonds for transportation purposes was signed into law by Gov. John Rowland. Municipalities, upon approval of their legislative bodies, may exempt from property tax up to $100,000 of the assessed value of any building actually and exclusively used in farming. In April, Asnuntuck Community College's Manufacturing Technology Center was recognized for five years of success, after growing from an entry-level machine tech program to a 1,000-hour program offering 30 college credits. The Center was launched in large part with $1.2 million in support from the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development. Besides 300 matriculating students, the Center has hosted more than 2,000 members of the existing work force, including a large number from the 50 companies that make up the state's aerospace components manufacturing cluster.
Delaware
In May, a new law authorized counties and cities to utilize tax increment financing and special development districts to fund costs related to the impacts of development. An earlier bill authorized the establishment of business improvement districts in unincorporated areas. Also in May, the state realty transfer tax was raised from 1.5 percent to 1.875 percent, while the level allowed to be imposed by local governments was reduced from 1.5 percent to 1.125 percent. A bill was signed into law in June that harmonizes the efforts of the State and the EPA to encourage the redevelopment of brownfields. It provides a uniform set of liability protections, codifies prospective purchaser liability protection, clarifies innocent landowner status and provides liability protection for contiguous property owners. A new law exempts employers from the gross receipts tax if they and their employees maintain an average daily vehicle occupancy rate of 3.5 or greater during the taxable year. Led by Gov. Ruth Ann Minner, the state has committed more than $1.8 million to help alleviate Delaware's nursing shortage by providing scholarships for future nurses and by expanding the nursing programs at Delaware Technical & Community College campuses statewide. The associated campuses already offer leading programs in HVAC and commercial transportation.
Florida
Heading the list in 2003 was the passage of comprehensive Workers' Compensation insurance reform, which will reduce insurance rates by 12.5 percent for all Florida employers, with another 4-percent reduction for construction businesses. The legislation is expected to provide $400 million in immediate savings to businesses. New legislation targets homeland security and defense industries for Qualified Target Industry Tax Refunds. Florida also passed a 2003-04 budget that reflected growth of 6.3 percent, without a corresponding tax increase. To foster innovative technology research, Gov. Jeb Bush established the $30-million Centers of Excellence program. The Center of Excellence in Regenerative Health Biotechnology will be established at the University of Florida; the Florida Photonics Center of Excellence at the University of Central Florida; and the Florida Center of Excellence in Biomedical and Marine Biotechnology at Florida Atlantic University. In addition, the Workforce Florida High Skill/High Wages Council is devoting up to $4 million to biotech training. In Leon County, Tallahassee Community College, an increasingly popular training resource for area employers, has just completed the construction of a 30,000-sq.-ft. (2,787-sq.-m.) work force development center.
Georgia
The Mega Project tax credit program allots a credit of $5,250 per job for five years to any company that creates at least 1,800 jobs and invests $450 million in a manufacturing project. In addition, a manufacturer that spends at least $800 million on a new facility qualifies for a credit against taxes of up to 6 percent of the total project cost, topping out at $50 million.
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