St. Tammany Economic Development Foundation; Incentives

Incentives

ENTERPRISE ZONE PROGRAM The Enterprise Zone (EZ) Program is a JOBS incentive program that provides Louisiana Income and Franchise tax credits to a business hiring a minimum number of net new employees. Thirty five percent of these new jobs must be filled from one of four targeted groups. A business does not have to be investing money, just creating additional jobs. The creation of jobs may result in sales/use tax rebates. EZs are areas with high unemployment, low income or a high percentage of residents receiving some form of public assistance. The Board of Commerce and Industry is responsible for approving these applications. Louisiana Economic Development's Business Incentives Services administers this program. An ADVANCE NOTIFICATION Form and a $100 fee must be received by BI PRIOR to starting project/construction, receiving purchases, installing equipment, or hiring. Any activity prior to the receipt of the Advance Notification by BI is not eligible for this program.
Click here for a printable Advance Notification Form.
The Board has adopted rules prohibiting any business with gaming on the EZ site from being eligible to participate in the EZ Program. Click here to learn more about St. Tammany Parish's Enterprise Zone Program.

INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION This is Louisiana's original incentive program, for capital investments, and is for manufacturers only. It may be used by manufacturers new to the State as well as new investments or miscellaneous capital additions to existing facilities in Louisiana. Click here to learn more about St. Tammany Parish's Industrial Tax Exemption.

QUALITY JOBS PROGRAM This Program provides a refundable tax credit as an incentive to encourage targeted businesses to locate in Louisiana, create quality jobs and promote economic development. This program is administered by the Department of Economic Development. Click here to learn more about the Quality Jobs Program.

RESTORATION TAX ABATEMENT The Restoration Tax Abatement (RTA) Program is an economic development incentive created for use by municipalities and local governments to encourage the expansion, restoration, improvement, and development of existing commercial structures and owner-occupied residences in Downtown Development Districts, Economic Development Districts, or Historic Districts. The RTA program does not exempt the acquisition cost of the structure. In addition, only equipment which becomes an integral part of that structure can qualify for this exemption (not machinery and equipment used in the business, i.e.: retail gondolas or movable property such as furniture and fixtures, etc.) Note: An Enterprise Zone or Economic Development Zone is not a qualifying district. Click here to learn more about Restoration Tax Abatement.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AWARDS PROGRAM The economic development award program (EDAP), administered by the Department of Economic Development, provides grants for publicly-owned infrastructure to assist industrial or business development projects that promote economic development and that require state assistance. Click here to learn more about the Economic Development Awards Program.

SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE LOAN PROGRAMS This section is an outline of available loan programs for small business including Small Business Loans, the Business Linked Dposit Program, the Micro Loan Program, and the Contract Loan Program. Click here for more information.

SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE INVESTMENT PROGRAMS Availiable types of Assistance Investment programs. Click here for more about investment assistance.

WORKFORCE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS This program provides funding for customized workforce training programs, if all qualifications are met, in order to improve the competitiveness and productivity of Louisiana’s workforce and business community and to assist Louisiana businesses in promoting employment stability. Click here to learn more about Workforce Training and Development Programs.

RENEWAL COMMUNITY INITIATIVE The 2000 Community Renewal Tax Relief authorized the creation of the Renewal Community Initiative. The Renewal Community (RC) initiative is designed to stimulate economic development in the Nation’s most distressed communities. Click here to learn more about Renewal Community Initiative.

ADVANCE NOTIFICATION FORM The Advance Notification form is an important form that must be submitted before any of the following applications are turned in: When applying for the Enterprise Zone, the Advance Notification form must be filed before any hiring, purchasing or construction activity begins. When applying for the Quality Jobs, the Advance Notification form must be filed before any hiring, purchasing or construction activity begins. When applying for the Restoration Tax Abatement, the Advance Notification form should be filed before any construction activity as some local governments may not be conducive to granting requests for this tax exemption if the project has already begun. When applying for Industrial Tax Exemption Program and are also applying to receive either the Enterprise Zone or the Quality Jobs program benefits, the Advance Notification for the Industrial Tax exemption program must be filed prior to any construction, purchasing or hiring activity. Other wise the Advance Notification for the Industrial Tax Exemption program need only be filed for projects above $1,500,000.00 and the filing does not need to precede the beginning of construction activity. The investment, jobs and dates (except where mentioned above) are estimates that the applicant provides on this document. Make sure the contact person is the one who can answer our questions related to the tax incentive programs.
To complete the Advance Notification form on your computer*, print it out, and send the form with the fee by mail, FedEx, etc., please click here.

For more information on any of these incentive programs, please contact the St. Tammany Economic Development Foundation by phone at (985) 809-7596, or click here to e-mail S.T.E.D.F.