IT INCENTIVES: Lawmakers sent the governor legislation designed to help Indiana compete for large-scale information technology investments.
Senate Bill 448, sponsored by Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, would allow counties and municipalities to waive property taxes on computers, fiber optic cable and other costly high-tech equipment. To qualify, a firm would have to invest at least $10 million and agree to pay an average wage at least 25 percent greater the average wage for the county.
The Northwest Indiana Forum lobbied for the proposal.
This completed a well coordinated effort by the Indiana Economic Development Association, The Northwest Indiana Forum, NIPSCO, and research by Cender and Company to allow local communities the option to exempt personal property taxes in an effort to recruit data centers or similar new employers. Let's hope this "tax reduction" effort will show quick results and remind everyone that we need jobs, and stimulus doesn't have to be in the form of pork.
