Despite any empirical evidence that enterprise zones have any positive long term effect on local economies or in net jobs creation the Coos Curry Business Development agency is asking to extend the Coquille Valley Enterprise Zone boundary to include the former Bandon cheese factory site. Enterprise zones offer three to five year property tax abatement in exchange for new jobs at a higher than average salary, however, all too often the cost of these jobs to the taxpayer is very high. Taxing districts in Coos County gave up upwards of $2.5 million for ORC jobs, for example. MGx published several articles in 2010 regarding local enterprise zones including the Bay Area Enterprise Zone and the Coquille Valley Enterprise Zone.
The proposed boundary change extends the zone to include parts of the Bandon Urban Renewal District, and just like the Jordan Cove LNG project is situated in both an urban renewal district and an enterprise zone it will be a long time before the taxpayer sees a return, if ever, from this investment. If memory serves this is not the first expansion of the CVEZ> During John Griffith’s tenure as commissioner the boundaries were changed to include all or part of the Bandon Dunes, an already thriving business, and to Griffith’s credit he voted against the expansion but was sadly outvoted.
Read the resolution Enterprise zone expansion resolution
Demand these commissioners do some fiscal analysis before voting on this matter. Ask them to provide mathematical evidence supporting their decision
Bob Main
(541) 396-3121 ext 770
Fred Messerle
(541) 396-3121 ext 247
Cam Parry
(541) 396-3121 ext 281
This is just the beginning of the end of the Main, Messerle, Parry era. Stand by for a vote soon on county manager and solid waste.
Perfect! This makes almost as much sense as everything else the City of Bandon and this lost cause, no-one-will-ever-build cheese facory does. Well, almost. I bet the Bandon City Council is chomping at the bit with prospect of being able to buy more signs for the City. I’ve never seen such a bunch of little fish in a small pond control freaks in my life. And I’ve seen my share.