The Greene County board of supervisors will start the process of establishing an industrial tax exemption by setting the date next Monday for a public hearing on the required ordinance.
County assessor Linda Spearman provided a draft ordinance to the supervisors at their Aug. 3 meeting. The draft was prepared by attorney David Morain and Thomas Laehn, who is serving as a clerk this summer for Judge William Ostlund and others.
The industrial tax exemption would be similar to urban revitalization credits now available in most municipalities in the county, including Jefferson. Business owners would be exempt from paying taxes on new construction or improvements to sites for a set period of time. Owners would pay taxes at the rate before the construction or improvements are made.
Bauer Built in Paton is an example of a company that could take advantage of the exemption.
The credit would be awarded by the supervisors on a case-by-case basis only after an application from the industry. It would apply only to the improvements on the property. In the case of the Bauer property, it would not apply to the truck parking area or to the new gas station/convenience store.
The feed mill proposed by Cargill just east of Grand Junction could qualify for the credit, should the county enact an ordinance, according to Spearman.
