EZ Policy Blog

The new Siskiyou County Enterprise Zone seems to be taking the lead in efforts to fight off challenges to the program arising from the budget crisis. From the Mt. Shasta News:

A recent recommendation to cancel Enterprise Zones throughout the state as a budget cutting effort has prompted local officials to take action.

“We are working to maintain our designation and are drafting a letter to send to the state to protest the proposed move,” said Siskiyou County Economic Development Council executive director Tonya Dowse during a presentation at last week’s Mount Shasta Chamber of Commerce meeting. “We need to be proactive in this matter. The city of Mount Shasta has already sent a letter in opposition.”

Dowse said the county and its cities and towns recently received an economic boost with a new 15 year California State Enterprise Zone designation.

“There are only 42 Enterprise Zones statewide, and it’s very competitive to achieve the designation because of the benefits that come with it. Fortunately we were one of the top applicants,” Dowse said during the meeting at Lalo’s Restaurant Thursday.

She said, “Siskiyou County is the most rural applicant and as such really needs the tax credits to sustain current businesses as well as to bring in more business and light industry. Since we are primarily a county of small businesses we have to take everything into account. What may seem like a relatively small benefit can be significant to a ‘Mom and Pop’ type of business.”

Siskiyou County Economic Development Council executive director Tonya Dowse, standing right, and Monique Dixon of Great Northern Corporation updated members and guests on the area’s Enterprise Zone status during the Mount Shasta Chamber of Commerce meeting at Lalo’s Restaurant Thursday.