Enhanced Enterprise Zone
On September 14, 2011, the REDI board voted to recommend the establishment of an Enhanced Enterprise Zone that encompasses a large area of Columbia and Boone County, including much of downtown and stretching to the city’s certified shovel-ready industrial sites. Businesses moving to the designated area or expanding within it can qualify for state income tax credits worth as much as two percent of payroll and property tax abatements worth half of the expanded or new facility. To qualify, a business would be required to add at least two employees, provide them with healthcare and invest at least $100,000. A public board would be established to review any credits.
These incentives are targeted at manufacturing firms. Retail businesses, gambling establishments, restaurants, educational services and religious organizations are not eligible.
While REDI’s primary goal was to increase jobs in the manufacturing sector, many other types of industries can qualify, including those focusing on arts, entertainment, recreation, information services, telecommunications and more.
A letter from Jack Jensen
Current Executive Director of First Chance for Children and former CPS Administrator Jack Jensen included me in a letter he sent out to the community in support of Columbia Public School's April 2012 Bond and Levy. I included it here:
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
As you know the Columbia Board of Education has put a bond and levy issue on the April ballot. The schools are facing increased pressure because of falling state and federal revenues. Class sizes are going up, programs and staff are being cut, and the quality of our children's education is being affected. The levy increase will address these issues. Building schools to replace trailers, maintaining / upgrading existing buildings and technology will be the focus of the bond issue. For additional information on this issue go to the district web site http://www.columbia.k12.mo.us/bondlevy.php and/or the Facebook page, Vote Yes for Schools: Invest in Our Community.
While Columbia Public School's personnel can supply neutral information about the bond and levy issues, the community group, Committee for Continued Excellence in Columbia Schools, is working to get the "Vote Yes" message out. It is going to take active participation by each of us to assure success in April. Here are just a few things you can do to help pass these two issues:
Kickstarter - Mini Monkey Lights
I have a slight addiction to Kickstarter. I helped fund a documentary by a former Columbia resident, I helped fund a cool clock/dock for my iPhone, I've funded some ingenious tire rim attached bicycle lights, and I tired to fund an album by a band that regularly plays at True/False to name a few.
FILM: Lunch Line at Ragtag
I heard about this from the Columbia Council of PTAs and the Columbia Parents for Public Schools and I urge everyone to go. I haven't seen the film before so I cannot comment on it, but CPS's Director of Nutrition Services and Chef of Nutrition Services will be speaking afterwards. I am always interested in hearing how these two CPS leaders are making our students' lunches healthier.
Ragtag Film Series – Lunch Line
Thursday January 19, 2012 at 5:30pm
Ragtag Cinema, Columbia, MO.
With post-film discussion led by
Bill McKelvey, Project Coordinator, Department of Rural Sociology, University of Missouri
Laina Fullum, Director of Nutrition Services for Columbia Public Schools
Brad Faith,Chef of Nutrition Services for Columbia Public Schools
Lunch Line
(dir. Ernie Park and Michael Graziano, 2009, 63 min).
This documentary takes a new look at the school lunch program by exploring its past, its current challenges, and its opportunities for the future. The National School Lunch Program began in 1946, and now, more than 60 years later, the program feeds more than 31 million children every day. In the film, leaders from all sides of the school food debate, including government officials, school foodservice experts, activists, and students, weigh in on the program and discuss ways to continue nourishing America’s children for another 60 years.
Flatlined - Correcting Misconceptions and Factual Errors
It's easy to be baited into a public argument. Especially when someone has as many incorrect statements as he has one-sentance paragraphs. While part of me wants to go through line-by-line correcting falsehoods and unbalanced comparisons, a community member/parent/realtor already did so. I have posted her email response to Mike here.
I think this is an important point that Ms. King made the other night:
Funds from the 2012 bond issue wouldn’t become available until November 2014.
“We want to make sure we reiterate that 2014 date,” board member Christine King said. “We’re going to ask for a second $50 million before we even get the first $50 million. We have to be open and make sure voters were aware they were told this.”
The fact of the matter is bonds are passed but that doesn't mean that there is $120 MILLION immediately available and I believe that is where some confusion among parents I know existed. Have you spoken with anyone from the School Board about other items in the plan now that the new school construction is well underway?
REDI Endorses CPS Bond & Levy
While I love how this makes it sound like I did a great job of presenting CPS's needs, the REDI board truly recognizes the importance of education to economic growth in Columbia and the success of our community.
Article: REDI backs school tax issues on ballot