Incentive program generating interest, moving ahead slowly

BOULDER – Two month’s into the city of Boulder’s $850,000 business incentive pilot program has yielded a lot of inquiries from potential incentive recipients, but no companies have applied.

Liz Hanson, the city’s business liaison, has been busy fielding those questions and reaching out to let companies know what their options are.

She sent out direct mail in November to 725 primary employers – those generating 75 percent of revenues from outside Boulder County. She spoke at the Boulder Independent Business Alliance’s 10th anniversary event and will be the guest at an upcoming Boulder Rotary Club meeting. She’s met with the Commercial Brokers of Boulder and had e-mail sent to all the members of the Boulder Chamber of Commerce. She’s spent plenty of time on the phone and meeting personally with companies considering relocating to or expanding in Boulder.

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“We’re making sure we do everything possible to get the word out and start conversations with businesses that might be interested and eligible,” she said.

Although the flexible rebate program could be more lucrative to applicants – there’s $500,000 available for eight or 10 companies, and it could cover a wide range of fees and taxes from permit and development review fees to equipment and construction use taxes – Hanson’s primary focus right now is the training assistance program.

The entire program is budgeted at $50,000, but with a $1,000 cap per company, many more companies will be able to take advantage of it. “We are really trying to get the word out because even a very small employer would be eligible,” Hanson said.

One issue with the flexible rebates, she said, is companies need to decide on relocation or expansion before they can apply.

Some companies relocating to Boulder might not be eligible at all for the rebate. “I spoke to one company outside of Boulder considering moving in, but they might not be planning to do specific upgrades or remodeling or expansions so there might not be a tax or fee for them to apply for.”

The Owner Occupied Loan Pool is still not quite ready for applicants, but the Parks and Recreation Employee Discount Program is well under way. This program gives employees of Boulder-based companies who don’t live in Boulder the same rate as residents.

Al Quiller, special projects administrator with the Parks and Recreation Department said since the program was initiated in October 2006, 179 passes – both annual passes and punch cards – have been purchased with the Boulder employer rate.

“All you have to do at the rec centers is you show proof of where you work – ID badge, pay stub, something on letterhead – that shows you work at that company,” he said. “The staff is able to verify that it is a business within the city, and that’s all it takes.”