Laserfiche WebLink
Review Ist Draft of the City of Elk River Business Subsidies Policy <br />September 23, 2002 <br />Page 2 <br /> <br />Summary <br />The proposed Business Subsidies Policy includes provisions required by the MN Business <br />Subsidy Law, including: <br /> · Specific minimum requirements that recipients must meet in order to be ehgible to <br /> receive business subsidies. Recipients will also be required to meet the City's specific <br /> guidelines for the particular form of subsidy being requested. <br /> <br />Specific wage floor for the wages to be paid for the jobs created or retained. The <br />wage floor may be stated as a specific dollar amount or may be stated as a formula <br />that will generate a specific dollar amount. Staff recommends that a minimum wage <br />floor be established for all types of business subsidy provided by the city. The <br />attached Business Subsidy Law Fact Sheet defines the types of business subsidies in <br />which the law applies. <br /> <br />The following job and wage criteria currently e,,dsts within the respective city policies: <br /> · Tax Increment Finance Economic Development Districts <br /> o Creation of 1 full-time job per $25,000 of TIF, no wage criteria <br /> · Tax Rebate Finance <br /> o No specific job and wage criteria <br /> · Economic Development Micro-Loans <br /> o Supplemental Financing Program (loans up to $50,000) <br /> 1 full-me job per $20,000 loaned with a minimum average wage of <br /> $8.00 per hour plus benefits. <br /> o Industrial Incentive Program (loans up to $100,000) <br /> 1 full-time job per $20,000 loaned with a minimum average wage of <br /> $10 per hour plus benefits. <br /> o Redevelopment Financing Program (loans up to $50,000) <br /> No specific job and wage criteria <br /> <br />The proposed City of Elk River Business Subsidies Policy includes a minimum wage floor of <br />$15.00 per hour exclusive of benefits. The particular wage floor is proposed based upon the <br />average wage of industrial companies in Elk River (2002 Business Retention Report $14.94). <br />The city has the flexibility to deviate from its policy by documenting the reason and <br />providing to the MN Dept of Trade & Economic Development. In addition the city may <br />set the job and wage goals at zero for a particular project following a public hearing. <br /> <br />Or, the City may consider a formula such as the St. Cloud Housing & Redevelopment <br />Authority. The St. Cloud HRA established the attached "Threshold Mimmum Average <br />Wage" to be applied to economic development projects that receive public assistance. <br /> <br />The policy was developed to encourage employers to pay employees a wage that would allow <br />them to be able to afford housing in the area based on their wages. The threshold is <br />annually based upon the standard definition for local incomes and rents O-bedroom <br />apartment) established by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). <br /> <br /> <br />