From today’s Sacramento Bee regarding whether the budget includes any changes to the Enterprise Zone program:

The budget agreement did not resolve Brown’s proposal to eliminate the state enterprise zone program and to use the money instead for sales tax exemptions for manufacturing and biotech research companies.

Today, the Governor’s Go “Away” Biz think tank offered up a version of its new and improved tax credit.  The Governor proposes to eliminate the current Enterprise Zone program and replace it with a program so chock full of limitations and strings attached that surely the only person smiling today is Rick Perry.  Here is a link to the proposed new credit.  Here is a link to the short version of what the Go-”Away” Biz credit actually provides.

Go Biz is touting the benefits of the Governor’s proposed new tax breaks.  Here is a bit of detail about how the new credit will affect the current EZ:

“The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development today issued an informational briefing today “NEW TOOLS FOR A NEW ECONOMY” on the Governor’s newly proposed business incentives. The incentives, part of Governor Brown’s revised May Budget, include a sales and use tax exemption for manufacturing equipment and biotech R&D, a long-term unemployed tax credit for areas of high unemployment and poverty, and a recruitment and retention incentive to attract new companies to California and expand existing companies.  Also included is a side by side comparison of the proposed program compared to current enterprise zone incentives. GO-Biz Deputy Director for Business Investment Services Leslie McBride pointed to the wider application of the proposed incentives as an overall benefit.

“Two of the three incentives are statewide,” said McBride, “meaning all of California gets to be an Enterprise Zone.”

The new programs would redirect roughly $750 million annually from the inefficient Enterprise Zone program to statewide business incentive programs. While exact details are still being developed and are subject to legislative approval, all three programs are proposed to start in the first quarter of 2014. Current earned Enterprise Zone credits would stay in place for 5 years. Additional state economic incentives such as the Employment Training Panel, the Research and Development tax credit will continue to be available to businesses – even in combination with the new incentives.

The Sacramento Bee reports that despite a heavy Democratic majority, only 5 bills labeled by the California Chamber of Commerce as “job killers” made it through the legislative session.  Only one of them deals with tax credits, Senate Bill 365 by Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis, to sunset business tax breaks.

From today’s LA Business Journal:

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Monday released his final budget as mayor. The $7.7 billion spending plan would close a previously estimated $216 million deficit and proposes creation of an economic development department.

He also proposed creating an economic development department that would focus on small business support, workforce development and job creation. He also proposed combining the planning functions of the existing Building and Safety, Planning and other departments into a new Department of Planning and Development.

Governor Brown released his 2013-2014 budget today which seeks to make it more difficult for businesses to utilize the Enterprise Zone credits.  At least a step up from last year when Brown proposed to eliminate the EZ program altogether, this year’s approach is more subtle.  Brown seeks to limit retroactive vouchering to one year, despite significant evidence and testimony that most of the businesses for which the credit is intended cannot process all their employee paperwork so quickly, i.e. the small businesses.  It seems that everyone but Brown recognizes that small businesses are the engine that runs California’s job market.  By making it more difficult for them, Brown is doing a disservice to the job market and to a large part of his constituency.

Brown also wants to require “third party” verification of employee residence in a TEA.  Assuming he means driver’s licenses instead of I-9s, again many of the lower income workers have no such third party verification and would thus be excluded from the credit.  The immediate result would be reduced hiring of those without California issued identification a result that I suspect Brown’s backers haven’t fully thought through yet.  Under Brown’s budget, there is a higher level of identification required for a tax credit than the law currently requires to allow someone to vote.  Perhaps an intended distinction….

Below is the full text of the Budget section discussing the Enterprise Zone:

Enterprise Zone Regulatory Reform

The Budget includes savings relating to new regulations for the Enterprise Zone program.  The proposed regulations will accomplish the following reforms:

Limit retrovouchering by requiring all voucher applications to be made within one year of the date of hire.

Require third party verification of employee residence within a Targeted Employment Area.

Streamline the vouchering process for hiring veterans and recipients of public assistance.

Create stricter zone audit procedures and audit failure procedures.

These regulatory reforms will primarily affect Corporation Tax revenue, but will also have an impact on Personal Income Tax revenue. The regulations, in total, are expected to increase General Fund revenue by $10 million in 2012‑13 and $50 million in 2013‑14. The Administration will be pursuing further Enterprise Zone reform through legislation.

I guess it could be worse.  Forbes ranked California as the 41st worst state to do business in.  An unfavorable tax structure tops the list of why California ranks so low. Here is the study.

This posted yesterday in the San Francisco Sentinel.

Allows San Francisco Businesses to Access Valuable Hiring Tax Credits Through Simple Web-Based Tool; Advances Mayor’s Jobs Plan Goal of Using Technology to Make the City Easier Navigate for Business

Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced the launch of the San Francisco Enterprise Zone Web App, a web-based tool that allows San Francisco businesses to apply online for the City’s popular Enterprise Zone hiring tax credit program. The Enterprise Zone Web App will replace a completely paper-based process with a web based tool which increases government efficiency and makes it easier for businesses to utilize the program.

“I am committed to making it easier for local businesses to operate and grow jobs in San Francisco,” said Mayor Lee. “The Enterprise Zone Web App takes a powerful tax incentive program and brings it online so small businesses, manufacturers and other firms can save time while they save money.”

“At SFMade we make sure that all of our manufacturers are aware of the Enterprise Zone hiring tax credits and the potential savings it offers,” said SFMade Executive Director Kate Sofis. “My staff works closely with small business owners with limited resources. Having the Enterprise Zone Web App instead of a paper process will make a big difference in terms of administrative costs, time and use of this important tax credit.”

“The Enterprise Zone hiring tax credit is really important to our company,” said Marissa Andres, Controller at Mackenzie Warehouse, an auto parts distributor located in Potrero Hill. “The savings we earn in tax credits are used for hiring and retaining employees. The online tool is simple and straight-forward and saves me valuable time.”

The Enterprise Zone is a State of California program which provides tax credits and other incentives to encourage business investment and promote the creation of new jobs. In place since 1997, the San Francisco Enterprise Zone is one of 42 Enterprise Zones in the state and is administered locally by the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD). The San Francisco Enterprise Zone areas include the following areas: Bay View Hunters Point/ South Bayshore; Chinatown; the Mission; Mission Bay Project Area; Potrero Hill; south of Market; the Tenderloin; and the Western Addition and some portions of North Beach and Financial District.

The tool was developed using Firmstep’s AchieveForms software. The switch to an on-line app will not only decrease costs in paper and postage, but will also speed up the processing time getting businesses approved for tax credits more quickly and efficiently.

The San Francisco Enterprise Zone Web App can be found at http://sfezapp.oewd.org For more information on the San Francisco Enterprise Zone Program, go to: http://www.oewd.org/Enterprise-Zone.aspx For more information from the State on the Enterprise Zones Program, go to: www.hcd.ca.gov/fa/ez/ <http://www.hcd.ca.gov/fa/ez/>

The Sacramento Bee is reporting that the Democrats have gained a two thirds majority in both legislative houses.  Consequently, they can raise taxes without any Republican opposition.  What this means for the EZs is yet to be seen.  There are some bright spots.  First, many Democratic legislators have EZs in their districts and they have come out in favor of continuing the program.  Second, given that Prop 30 passed, it is yet to be seen how aggressively the democrats will pursue further tax hikes, particularly employment related credits, in a still sensitive economy.  Stay tuned….

An article in Fox Business lists all the reasons NOT to do business in California.  Yet despite all the negatives, entrepeneurs seem to flourish in the state.    One of the bright spots is undoubtedly the Enterprise Zone tax credits. “Other business ventures that benefit California’s populace may be eligible for numerous tax credits, including enterprise zone credits, economic development area credits and targeted tax area credits.”

Read the full article.