Seymour launches enterprise zone

Missouri’s Department of Economic Development Aug. 26 approved Seymour’s application for the zone, which makes available state tax credits and local tax abatements to eligible businesses within the zone – in Seymour’s case, a 100-square-mile area. Eligibility is based on employment and wage levels.

The zone is a first for Seymour, located 30 minutes east of Springfield on U.S. Highway 60 with a population of about 1,800.

“I applaud the city of Seymour for taking a proactive approach to improve local economic development efforts,” Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt said in a news release. “We look forward to working with city officials as they use this new incentive tool to support existing business partners, attract new industries and create new jobs locally.”

Seymour is still trying to overcome significant job losses from the 300-employee Lee Jeans plant closure in 1998 and the 100-employee Executive Coach Builders plant relocation in 2004.

“Seymour has needed a tool to work with for economic development,” said Skye Johns, a city administration employee. “This is an excellent tool.”

Seymour’s enhanced enterprise zone has a 25-year lifespan. Businesses are required to invest $100,000 and create at least two jobs.

The state tax credits, available to companies that pay higher than the county average wage – $11.64 hourly and $24,202 annually – must be used for the tax year issued. They also could be sold or refunded.

Seymour officials would like the zone to apply to existing businesses and attract new ones. “This will mean a substantial savings for them,” Johns said.

She added that with Seymour’s aggressive approach on tax abatement, “a business could get up to 100 percent tax abatement for a minimum of 10 years.” The abatement levels are tiered based on employment and wages.

Johns credits Seymour Mayor Jerry Miller with helping to get the zone approved; attracting jobs was a big part of his mayoral platform before taking office in April 2004. “This is an important component of meeting that goal,” Johns added. “It makes the Seymour area far more marketable than it was without it.”

To some, the new enterprise zone signals that positive change is ahead. City staff certainly is doing its part, having launched the town’s first Web site, www.seymourmissouri.org, now developing a marketing program and coining with community leaders the inspirational phrase “unity in the community.”

But there are more than feel-good initiatives. Johns said Seymour has options to purchase land for an industrial park and is seeking grant funding for infrastructure. The 40-acre tract with access to Highway 60 has been annexed into the town.

And technological advancements during Miller’s term have led to high-speed Internet access through CenturyTel and Mediacom.

“There’s a lot of exciting things in Seymour,” Johns said.

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