Economic Development Corp. President Nancy Martin this week to
supervisors touted
”
economic zones
”
that the county should focus on to bring
”
tools to the tool belt
”
in plans to spur economic growth in San Benito County.
Economic Development Corp. President Nancy Martin this week to supervisors touted “economic zones” that the county should focus on to bring “tools to the tool belt” in plans to spur economic growth in San Benito County.
During a presentation Tuesday updating the board on activity at the EDC, Martin introduced four distinct areas that could attract new businesses and jobs. The areas include a hub zone, a recycling zone, a foreign trade zone and an enterprise zone.
“Taking advantage of these zones would allow the county to live up to its fullest potential,” she said to the board.
The ECD’s purpose is to recruit new industry to San Benito County. In 2007 the county supervisors and other local agencies, agreed to contribute money toward the EDC’s director’s annual salary. The county funded $50,000 toward the cause.
Each zone she broached promotes local businesses to hire San Benito County citizens and to grow, she said. If a business takes part in one of the designated zones, they could benefit from government loans and tax credits.
San Benito’s hub-zone affiliation allows local companies, in which 35 percent of their employees are San Benito County citizens, to benefit from dealing with the government, Martin said. If a company applies for a hub-zone certification, it would push them to the forefront in government contracts.
If Hollister took advantage of the foreign trade zone, it would help see the airport grow, she said. A business in the airport would benefit from a greater cash flow.
“It would be a time saver when you have to do bookkeeping,” Martin said.
Following up on all these zones would allow the county to take full advantage of what it has now, such as the winery industry and the airport, she said.
For the full story see the Free Lance on Tuesday.
