[r63] Rep. Messmer's Bill encourages job growth

STATEHOUSE - State Rep. Mark Messmer (R-Jasper) has authored House Bill 1007 that would provide additional economic development tools to local governments in order to help attract new businesses to Indiana and promote job growth.  In September, House Republicans introduced their "Strengthen Indiana Plan", which included the legislative plan to provide local communities the tools they need to promote job creation.

In summary, the bill would:

• Allow individual counties the option to exempt personal property from the property tax.
• Allow individual counties the option to exempt new investment in personal property.
• Allow municipalities to pay hiring incentives for new employment.
• Allow municipalities to utilize a point system to enhance abatement schedules for both new and existing businesses.
• Reduce the age limit for the property tax deduction for rehabilitated property from 50 years to 25 years.
• Enhance abatement schedules to allow up to three years of 100% abatement if the business meets one point on a list of criteria.
• Remove sunset date on the ability of municipalities to exempt enterprise information technology.

HB 1007 passed its second reading in the House. It will now go onto a third and final reading on the House floor.

"House Bill 1007 is going to help attract new businesses to Indiana and therefore put more Hoosiers back to work," said Rep. Messmer. "By giving local governments the necessary tools to encourage economic development in their communities Indiana will continue to lead the nation out of this recession."

HB 1007 was written to help to reform personal property taxes, which is cited as a major impediment to investment by the business community, Indiana Economic Development Corporation and local government officials. Personal property taxes are closely looked at by companies looking to do business in Indiana, and neither Ohio nor Illinois have a personal property tax.

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