The News & Observer
Raleigh, N.C.
February 15, 1996
State board approves business incentives
The Associated Press
Copyright © 1996, The News & Observer
Gov. Hunt says the state needs the tools to compete
with other states for firms.
CHARLOTTE - A state board, acting just two
days before the Supreme Court hears arguments about the constitutionality
of business recruiting incentives, on Wednesday approved an enhanced package
of such incentives.
The North Carolina Economic Development Board approved the incentives
after hearing a pep talk from Gov. Jim Hunt.
Hunt told the panel that Virginia and South Carolina have won at least
30 major prospects and thousands of jobs at North Carolina's expense in
the past three years.
"That has got to stop," Hunt told board members, who were meeting in
a Charlotte hotel. "We can't be in a position where we are consistently
losing those battles and those jobs."
Hunt urged the board to give recruiters the tools to compete against
other states.
"The people of North Carolina want us to get jobs," he said. "There
are a few out there who are afraid we might taint our lily-white hands,
but most want us to do what it takes to compete."
Before adjourning, the panel approved the incentives in a voice vote.
Last fall, a board task force proposed the changes to the state's industrial
recruiting program, including expanding tax credits to economically distressed
parts of the state.
In November, the board agreed in principle to a "modest expansion" of
North Carolina's incentives. The proposals included:
- Extending an existing corporate income tax credit to all counties
and increasing the credit in the 25 poorest counties from $2,800 to $4,000
for each job created.
- Allowing non-manufacturing companies to qualify for credits if they
make at least 75 percent of their sales outside North Carolina.
- Expanding exemptions from a 3 percent sales tax on energy costs and
a 1 percent sales tax on machinery and equipment.
- Creating new credits for research and development and for training
new workers.
- Reducing the state's corporate tax rate to less than 7 percent. It
is now 7.75 percent.
The package now goes to Hunt, who can recommend part or all of it to
the legislature, which has the final word in any changes in the state's
industrial recruiting programs.
The board also heard a fiery speech Wednesday morning from state Commerce
Secretary Dave Phillips.
"This is a week that's going to define the future of economic development
in this state," he said, referring to both the package before the board
and the lawsuit before the North Carolina Supreme Court.
On Friday, the high court hears arguments in a suit by William Maready.
The Winston-Salem lawyer is challenging the constitutionality of a state
law that allows local governments to use taxpayer money to recruit private
corporations.
In August, Forsyth County Superior Court Judge Julius Rousseau agreed
with Maready that the financial incentives violate the state Constitution.
The high court agreed to hear the case, bypassing the appellate courts.
Attorney General Mike Easley will argue before the seven-member court
on behalf of the state, the city of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. Maready
will be represented by his law partner, Michael Robinson.
Although Rousseau's ruling does not carry any weight outside Forsyth
County, state and local business recruiters claim that some potentially
lucrative prospects have written off North Carolina because of uncertainty
over the incentives.
Phillips said about 80 percent of the incentives that go to a company
that moves to or expands in North Carolina come from local governments.
"If Maready prevails, all of that will be done away with," he said. "It
all will come to a standstill."
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Copyright © 1996, The News & Observer.
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