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EDATE: Vote Is Tuesday On Tax Waiver To Create Jobs
January 30, 2012
When voters head to the polls Tuesday for Florida’s Republican primary, they will also have the chance to vote on EDATE — the Escambia County Ad Valorem Tax Exemption.
EDATE — as much as it may sound like internet dating — is a property tax abatement program that’s designed to encourage businesses to relocate to Escambia County and encourage existing businesses to expand. The tax abatements are good for up to 10 years.
“Over 4,000 new jobs in Escambia County are credited to EDATE,” Escambia County Administrator Randy Oliver said. Navy Federal has created 3,000 new jobs under the EDATE program, while International Paper has added 496. In all, 4,346 jobs have been created under the EDATE program, according to county records.
“It is a tool for economic development,” Oliver said. “The county gives up tax dollars in exchange for jobs.”
In order for a company to qualify to pass on property taxes under EDATE, there must be an increased assessed value on their property. “So in theory it does not impact current tax revenue,” Oliver added.
The tax waivers do not impact any other taxing district — tax revenue is not cut for schools, the Northwest Florida Water Management District or the city of Pensacola.
Companies do not automatically qualify for a full 100% abatement — different levels of discounts are given under the program. A full tax waiver would require an investment over $5 million and over 100 new jobs that pay an above average wage. Anything else and the percentage of forgiven taxes decreases.
The EDATE program has been in place since the early 1990’s and must be approved every10 years. If approved Tuesday, the EDATE program will continue through 2022 in Escambia County.
While Tuesday’s election is the Republican Presidential Primary, Democrats and independent voters can also head to the polls to vote on the EDATE referendum.
Comments
11 Responses to “EDATE: Vote Is Tuesday On Tax Waiver To Create Jobs”
This is not a Republican only issue. Anyone can vote on this measure. Several people who use an absentee ballots and are either Democrats or Republicans or Independents have received a ballot to vote on this. If you don’t like it…VOTE! If you do like it…VOTE! But if you don’t vote, don’t complain about the results. It is up to all of us!
@ Deepsouth survival, International Paper hired 4 new employees on January 2, 2012 and hired 12 new employees in November 2011. All employment goes through Escarosa and are advertised in PNJ. I’m not calling you out just stating the facts.
I think we know the real answer to this, it’s well known that Republicans are more pro business than Democrats or Independents, therefore the smart thing to do is hold this type election when 95% of the voters will be Republicans, making it more likely to pass. True anyone can vote on this, but how many people other than Republicans will take time to vote tomorrow, most Democrats and Independents will see it as a waste of time to go vote on this, so it will likely pass with more than a 75% approval, whereas if it were on the ballot during the general election, it might or might not pass.
Look around… see how well it’s working…. ha ha
Sorry, folks… it’s a “NO” for me…
>>>That this is up for a vote on a Republican primary election day, a Republican primary in which Democrats cannot vote, doesn’t seem right.
Democrats and independents, as the last paragraph of the story says, *CAN* vote on EDATE on Tuesday.
That this is up for a vote on a Republican primary election day, a Republican primary in which Democrats cannot vote, doesn’t seem right. Why is this not being voted on in the general election?
4,346 jobs in 10 years = 434.6 jobs a year = 36.22 jobs per month = 1.19 jobs per day over the course of 10 years.
This sounds rather meager when you look at the population of the area, the unemployment numbers of the area, and the amount of new citizens in the area over the same time period. I received a mailer on this today and it gave NO background info on the subject, and only touted the numbers. I really wish that the numbers were double or triple that, then I might be somewhat enthusiastic. I tried to submit my resume to International Paper a few months ago, and they stopped me at the gate, telling me that IP hasn’t hired anyone in 18 MONTHS !!! What about the tax break IP.
Although edate is not a tax, it does cause everyone to contribute more property taxes in order to make up for the property taxes lost to edate recipients.
The hope is that those edate tax breaks will create other taxes from the employees such as property and sales taxes, etc.
I am really surprised that more employers do not take advantage of it.
All a business has to do is to threaten the county that they will close their doors.
How do you think Mobile Alabama lures all that industry and jobs to Mobile ? They give the industries and job creators a tax break. Escambia county should do the same ! Vote for the EDATE to creat jobs and help the economy.
Yogi — read a little better next time. It is NOT a tax on the citizens who are retired on otherwise on a fixed income. It’s a tax break for companie that spend millions on a new building and hiring people. It is jobs!
This EDATE renewal is a SCAM. The DOWNTOWN crowd is trying to sell this scam by touting some 4000 jobs created over the span of the 10 years the TAX has been in effect.
Break that down and it equals 400 jobs per year. Take that 400 per year and subdivide it to skilled, unskilled, professional, and blue collar workers the numbers will not support continuing this TAX on the citizens who are retired or otherwise on fixed income!
VOTE NO…!!!