After missing out on this year’s Enterprise Zone program, the city of Needles continues to push for tax breaks in order to attract businesses away from nearby Arizona. With Assembly Bill X3 82, the city has put together enterprise zone legistlation that would establish several key benefits for the region.

Marj Dario, from the Needles Deser Star, had this to say about the development: “The group effort started when those enterprise zone applicants not selected this year came together to form a coalition. Those applicants, plus an auto plant in Fremont, have proposed an initiative titled “100,000 New Jobs for Californians (11 New Enterprise Zones) which requests special one-time enterprise zone designations be granted.”

Along with Needles, other cities that joining the coalition are: Anaheim, El Monte, Escondido, Fremont, Gardena, Los Angeles County, Madera County, Monrovia, Needles, Oxnard and Wasco.

Despite previous reports, it appears that several cities pursuing Enterprise Zone designations in California may still be in the running. Specifically the cities of Needles and Anaheim are looking to combine their efforts to gain the tax advantages offered by the program.

The Needles Daily Star reported that According to Sue Godnick, executive director of the Needles Chamber, Anaheim has invited the city to join a group effort proposing state legislation that will allow those cities not ranking high enough this year, plus an additional zone for an auto plant in Fremont, to be granted one-time enterprise zone statuses. The initiative is to be titled “100,000 New Jobs for Californians (11 New Enterprise Zones).”

Needles specifically is in need of the EZ program status due to its close proximity to Arizona, which has historically been more friendly to businesses. Without some sort of exemption, it will continue to be difficult to attract local companies to settle in the region.