Newly elected Democrat Luis Alejo, of the 28th Assembly District, is lining up in favor of Enterprise Zones.  “The Enterprise Zone program should be strengthened rather than eliminated,”  Alejo said in a January 1 article in The Californian.  Although a new Democrat, Alejo was picked by Speaker Perez to be Vice Chairman of the Assembly Local Government Committee.  Alejo is also a member of the Assembly Budget Committee.  He joins JEDE committee chair Manuel Perez in voicing strong support for the Enterprise Zones.

On December 17, President Obama signed the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010.  The Tax Relief Act extended many important tax rates and programs and some have been curiously left out.   On the Federal level, the Act extends the Empowerment Zones for two more years, but not the Renewal Community Zones.  Fortunately for tax payers, the Empowerment Zone credit per employee is twice the amount of the Renewal Community credit.

Sarting toda, the new HCD voucher fees are in effect.  Every application to the state will now cost $15 instead of $10.  Here is the HCD’s Voucher Fee Increase Memo.

Coachella valley EZ has come up with a simple yet catchy way to advertise its EZ.  They’ve put up road signs alerting businesses that they are “entering” an EZ.  Here’s the article.

Mark Weber, the newly installed manager of the Coachella Valley EZ is interviewed.  Mark echoes what many legislators and businesses have been saying a lot lately, i.e. “the enterprise zone program is one of the only remaining economic development programs left in the state.”  See the video here.

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In the Tax Foundation’s 2011 State Business Tax Climate Index, California dropped from the 48^th worst state in the nation to do business in to the 49^th worst.  California lags behind only New York (but there’s always next year). 

See the Foundation’s paper here.

That’s what Fox Business News guest called California’s legislature in explaining why 144 companies left California this year.  Business relocation expert Joseph Vranich listed a host of reasons why California is the worst state in the union to do business.  Negative business climate, high regulation and excessive taxes were all reasons why companies are fleeing California.  Los Angeles, Vranich said, was the worst city in United States to do business.  See the interview here.

This year’s CAEZ conference will feature prominent business consultant Larry Kosmont. 

Kosmont is an industry veteran who specializes in providing economic development, finance, and real estate advisory services to both public agencies and private corporations. As an economic development consultant Kosmont assists companies with finding business-friendly cities.

He established Encino-based Kosmont Companies in 1986 and is well known for founding The Kosmont – Rose Institute Cost of Doing Business Survey™, a national publication that compares taxes and incentives for more than 400 cities and counties nationwide.

Read the Highland News article here.

T3 picks the Modesto EZ for its new facility, creating more jobs.

Partnering with the Stanislaus Alliance Worknet and the California Enterprise Zone Administrator have provided major tax incentives for California job creation. Grand opening and ribbon cutting on October 8th at 1:00 pm.

Due to a 37% growth over the last 3 quarters, T3-Direct Marketing, a full service marketing agency, has opened a new contact center, complete with 96 agent workstations, executive offices, customer service and quality control depts.

T3 is now poised to be a major player in the inbound telemarketing space and expects to create over 60 new jobs in the next three quarters that include quality assurance, customer service, order fulfillment and inside sales.The T3 Direct Marketing Call Center is also located in a California Enterprise Zone, which offers substantial tax benefits to companies who create jobs and purchase new equipment. Please see CAEZ.org for more info on major tax advantages. 

Read the full article.

Mayor Villaraigosa stressed the need for LA to become more business friendly.  Specifically, he said he wants more expansions of LA’s Enterprise Zones.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa told members of the business community at the United Chambers of Commerce of the San Fernando Valley and Region’s honorary luncheon that he will continue pushing business-related reforms for the remainder of his term.

At the Mayor’s luncheon Sept. 22, Villaraigosa spoke of the recent steps he and his business team has taken to boost the city’s economic climate.

Those included pushing for the expansion of the city’s California Enterprise Zone in and around the San Fernando Valley, passing an ordinance that cuts taxes for local Internet businesses, passing a business tax holiday, and proposing a local preference ordinance, which would give local businesses more leverage in bids for government contracts.

The full San Fernando Valley Business Journal article can be read here.