The Pierce County Council voted unanimously to pass the Family-Wage Jobs Credit Program Ordinance 2018-51s, which aims to increase the number of higher paying jobs in unincorporated Pierce County, attract new businesses, enhance economic activity and expand the county tax base.
Employers making payments for construction fees and permits, who demonstrate they have created five or more new permanent family-wage jobs with a salary of $52,197 or more will receive a one-time rebate of $275 per job created.
“Pierce County continues to be an outstanding place to start and grow a business,” said Vice-Chair Dan Roach. “With this ordinance in place, we can highlight and incentivize all that our county continues to offer businesses.”
The program will take effect Jan. 1, 2019 and sunsets on Dec. 31. 2025.
For more information on the budget please visit piercecountywa.org/council.
John Arbeeny says
As a businessman I have several questions about this program. Just how many jobs does Pierce County think will be created given that it requires salaries of $52,197 (how did they arrive at that number almost to the penny?) for five employees but only applies to businesses paying construction fees and permits? I personally doubt that any company is going to make a decision on salaries, employees and location based upon a potential one time payoff (rebate) of $1375.00 of those fees and permits. Just how will you determine how many jobs will be created before the fact (i.e. completion of construction) beyond the hypothetical calculations of square footage required per employee? It would also appear that this program essentially cuts off most small businesses which have fewer than 5 employees or are in businesses which don’t have all that many full time employees or pay salaries of $4349.75 a month. Is the $52,197 salary family size dependent? A family of 3 with two working parents receiving a combined salary of $104,394 lives well beyond a single parent family of 6 receiving $52,197. To me this kind of “program” is nothing more than window dressing; and attempt by government to appear to do something while in effect doing nothing. Want to “…..highlight and incentivize all that out county continues to offer businesses”? Cut taxes, regulations, fees, wasted time, streamline the permitting process for all businesses and you’ll see not only more jobs of all kinds created but also better paying jobs as well. A targeted approach like this misses the mark.