Bill Text: CT HB05585 | 2018 | General Assembly | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: An Act Concerning Enterprise Zones.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-04-19 - File Number 601 [HB05585 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2018-HB05585-Introduced.html

General Assembly

 

Raised Bill No. 5585

February Session, 2018

 

LCO No. 3177

 

*03177_______FIN*

Referred to Committee on FINANCE, REVENUE AND BONDING

 

Introduced by:

 

(FIN)

 

AN ACT CONCERNING ENTERPRISE ZONES.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (Effective from passage) The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development shall develop specific benchmarks for job creation and state and municipal revenue generated to be used by the Department of Economic and Community Development to assess whether businesses certified to receive enterprise zone benefits pursuant to section 32-70a of the general statutes shall continue to be eligible for such benefits. The commissioner shall submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, of such benchmarks to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce, municipalities and finance, revenue and bonding, not later than January 1, 2019.

Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) On and after July 1, 2019, any business that intends to construct, substantially renovate or expand a manufacturing facility or a service facility, as both terms are defined in section 32-9p of the general statutes, in an enterprise zone designated pursuant to section 32-70 of the general statutes, shall notify the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, in such form and manner as the commissioner prescribes, upon the filing of any applicable permit with the zoning commission, planning commission, combined planning and zoning commission, inland wetlands commission or building department of the municipality in which the enterprise zone is located, of such business's intent. Upon receipt of such notice of intent, the commissioner shall negotiate with such business and the chief elected official of such municipality the rate and duration of the property tax exemption under subdivision (59) or (60) of section 12-81 of the general statutes, as amended by this act. No such negotiated exemption shall exceed the highest amount allowed for such business under said subdivisions.

(b) Any business that intends to apply for an eligibility certificate for a manufacturing facility or service facility in an enterprise zone that (1) has been constructed, substantially renovated or expanded on or before the effective date of this section, or (2) is in the process of being constructed, substantially renovated or expanded on or after the effective date of this section but prior to July 1, 2019, shall submit a notice, in such form and manner as the commissioner prescribes, that such business intends to apply for an eligibility certificate for such facility. Such notice of intent shall be submitted prior to July 1, 2019. Any notice of intent for such facility that is submitted on or after July 1, 2019, shall be subject to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section.

Sec. 3. Subdivisions (59) and (60) of section 12-81 of the 2018 supplement to the general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2019):

(59) (a) [With] Except as otherwise provided under subparagraph (d) of this subdivision, with respect to assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 2012, any manufacturing facility, as defined in section 32-9p, acquired, constructed, substantially renovated or expanded on or after July 1, 1978, in a distressed municipality, as defined in said section, in a targeted investment community, as defined in section 32-222, in an enterprise zone designated pursuant to section 32-70 or in an airport development zone established pursuant to section 32-75d and for which an eligibility certificate has been issued by the Department of Economic and Community Development, and any manufacturing plant designated by the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development under subsection (a) of section 32-75c as follows: To the extent of eighty per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years following the assessment year in which the acquisition, construction, renovation or expansion of the manufacturing facility is completed, except that a manufacturing facility having a North American Industrial Classification Code of 325411 or 325412 and having at least one thousand full-time employees, as defined in subsection (f) of section 32-9j, shall be eligible to have the assessment period extended for five additional years upon approval of the commissioner, in accordance with all applicable regulations, provided such full-time employees have not been relocated from another facility in the state operated by the same eligible applicant;

(b) [Any] Except as otherwise provided under subparagraph (d) of this subdivision, any service facility, as defined in section 32-9p, acquired, constructed, substantially renovated or expanded on or after July 1, 1996, and for which an eligibility certificate has been issued by the Department of Economic and Community Development, as follows: (i) In the case of an investment of twenty million dollars or more but not more than thirty-nine million dollars in the service facility, to the extent of forty per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years following the assessment year in which the acquisition, construction, renovation or expansion of the service facility is completed; (ii) in the case of an investment of more than thirty-nine million dollars but not more than fifty-nine million dollars in the service facility, to the extent of fifty per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years following the assessment year in which the acquisition, construction, renovation or expansion of the service facility is completed; (iii) in the case of an investment of more than fifty-nine million dollars but not more than seventy-nine million dollars in the service facility, to the extent of sixty per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years following the assessment year in which the acquisition, construction, renovation or expansion of the service facility is completed; (iv) in the case of an investment of more than seventy-nine million dollars but not more than ninety million dollars in the service facility, to the extent of seventy per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years following the assessment year in which the acquisition, construction, renovation or expansion of the service facility is completed; or (v) in the case of an investment of more than ninety million dollars in the service facility, to the extent of eighty per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years following the assessment year in which the acquisition, construction, renovation or expansion of the service facility is completed, except that any financial institution, as defined in subsection (b) of section 32-236, having at least four thousand qualified employees, as determined in accordance with an agreement pursuant to subsection (b) of section 32-236, shall be eligible to have the assessment period extended for five additional years upon approval of the commissioner, in accordance with all applicable regulations, provided such full-time employees have not been relocated from another facility in the state operated by the same eligible applicant. In no event shall the definition of qualified employee be more favorable to the employer than the definition provided in subsection (b) of section 32-236;

(c) The completion date of a manufacturing facility, manufacturing plant or a service facility will be determined by the Department of Economic and Community Development taking into account the issuance of occupancy certificates and such other factors as it deems relevant. In the case of a manufacturing facility, manufacturing plant or a service facility which consists of a constructed, renovated or expanded portion of an existing plant, the assessed valuation of the facility or manufacturing plant is the difference between the assessed valuation of the plant prior to its being improved and the assessed valuation of the plant upon completion of the improvements. In the case of a manufacturing facility, manufacturing plant or a service facility which consists of an acquired portion of an existing plant, the assessed valuation of the facility or manufacturing plant is the assessed valuation of the portion acquired. This exemption shall be applicable during each such assessment year regardless of any change in the ownership or occupancy of the facility or manufacturing plant. If during any such assessment year, however, any facility for which an eligibility certificate has been issued ceases to qualify as a manufacturing facility, manufacturing plant or a service facility, the entitlement to the exemption allowed by this subdivision shall terminate for the assessment year following the date on which the qualification ceases, and there shall not be a pro rata application of the exemption. Any person who desires to claim the exemption provided in this subdivision shall file annually with the assessor or board of assessors in the distressed municipality, targeted investment community, enterprise zone designated pursuant to section 32-70 or in a town within an airport development zone established pursuant to section 32-75d in which the manufacturing facility or service facility is located, on or before the first day of November, a written application claiming such exemption on a form prescribed by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management. Failure to file such application in this manner and form within the time limit prescribed shall constitute a waiver of the right to such exemption for such assessment year, unless (i) an extension of time is allowed pursuant to section 12-81k, and upon payment of the required fee for late filing, or (ii) the person claiming such exemption received a certificate of eligibility on or after October 1, 2009, and is located in a municipality in New Haven County with a population of not less than eighteen thousand five hundred and not more than nineteen thousand five hundred, as enumerated in the 2010 federal decennial census;

(d) Any manufacturing facility or service facility, as both terms are defined in section 32-9p, in an enterprise zone designated pursuant to section 32-70, for which a notice of intent was submitted on or after July 1, 2019, to the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of section 2 of this act, at the rate and duration negotiated pursuant to said subdivision;

(60) (a) Except as otherwise provided under subparagraph (c) of this subdivision, (1) [Machinery] machinery and equipment which represents an addition to the assessment or grand list of the municipality in which this exemption is claimed and is installed in any manufacturing facility, as defined in section 32-9p, which facility is or has been constructed, or substantially renovated or expanded on or after July 1, 1978, in a distressed municipality, targeted investment community, enterprise zone designated pursuant to section 32-70 or in an airport development zone established pursuant to section 32-75d and for which an eligibility certificate has been issued by the Department of Economic and Community Development, concurrently with and directly attributable to such construction, renovation or expansion, (2) machinery and equipment which represents an addition to the assessment or grand list of the municipality in which this exemption is claimed and is installed, or machinery and equipment existing, in any manufacturing facility, as defined in section 32-9p, which facility is or has been acquired on or after July 1, 1978, in a distressed municipality, targeted investment community, enterprise zone designated pursuant to section 32-70 or in an airport development zone established pursuant to section 32-75d and for which an eligibility certificate has been issued by the Department of Economic and Community Development, and (3) machinery and equipment acquired and installed on or after October 1, 1986, in a manufacturing facility that is or has at one time been certified as eligible for the exemption under this subparagraph in accordance with section 32-9r, and which continues to be used for manufacturing purposes, provided such machinery and equipment is installed in conjunction with an expansion program that satisfies the requirements for a manufacturing facility, as defined in section 32-9p, and is contiguous to and represents an increase in square feet of floor space of not less than fifty per cent of the floor space in the certified manufacturing facility, as follows: To the extent of eighty per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years for which the manufacturing facility in which it is installed qualifies for an exemption under subdivision (59) of this section, except that a facility having a code classification 2833 or 2834 in the Standard Industrial Code Classification Manual, United States Office of Management and Budget, 1987 edition, wherein at least one thousand new full-time employees, as defined in subsection (f) of section 32-9j, are employed, shall be eligible to have the assessment period under this subdivision extended for five additional years upon approval of the commissioner, provided the commissioner approves an extension of the assessment period under subdivision (59) of this section for said facility;

(b) Except as otherwise provided under subparagraph (c) of this subdivision, (1) [Machinery] machinery and equipment which represents an addition to the assessment or grand list of the municipality in which this exemption is claimed and is installed in any service facility, as defined in section 32-9p, which facility is or has been constructed, or substantially renovated or expanded on or after July 1, 1996, and for which an eligibility certificate has been issued by the Department of Economic and Community Development, concurrently with and directly attributable to such construction, renovation or expansion, (2) machinery and equipment which represents an addition to the assessment or grand list of the municipality in which this exemption is claimed and is installed, or machinery and equipment existing, in any service facility, as defined in section 32-9p, which facility is or has been acquired on or after July 1, 1996, and for which an eligibility certificate has been issued by the department, and (3) machinery and equipment acquired and installed on or after July 1, 1996, in a service facility that is or has at one time been certified as eligible for the exemption under this subparagraph in accordance with section 32-9r and which continues to be used for service purposes, provided such machinery and equipment is installed in conjunction with an expansion program that satisfies the requirements for a service facility, as defined in section 32-9p, and is contiguous to and represents an increase in square feet of floor space of not less than fifty per cent of the floor space in the certified service facility, as follows: (i) In the case of an investment of twenty million dollars or more but not more than thirty-nine million dollars in the service facility, to the extent of forty per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years for which the service facility in which it is installed qualifies for an exemption under subdivision (59) of this section; (ii) in the case of an investment of more than thirty-nine million dollars but not more than fifty-nine million dollars in the service facility, to the extent of fifty per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years for which the service facility in which it is installed qualifies for an exemption under subdivision (59) of this section; (iii) in the case of an investment of more than fifty-nine million dollars but not more than seventy-nine million dollars in the service facility, to the extent of sixty per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years for which the service facility in which it is installed qualifies for an exemption under subdivision (59) of this section; (iv) in the case of an investment of more than seventy-nine million dollars but not more than ninety million dollars in the service facility, to the extent of seventy per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years for which the service facility in which it is installed qualifies for an exemption under subdivision (59) of this section; or (v) in the case of an investment of more than ninety million dollars in the service facility, to the extent of eighty per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years for which the service facility in which it is installed qualifies for an exemption under subdivision (59) of this section, except that any financial institution, as defined in section 32-236, having at least four thousand qualified employees, as determined in accordance with an agreement pursuant to subsection (c) of section 32-236, shall be eligible to have the assessment period extended for five additional years upon approval of the commissioner, in accordance with all applicable regulations, provided such full-time employees have not been relocated from another facility in the state operated by the same eligible applicant. In no event shall the definition of qualified employee be more favorable to the employer than the definition provided in section 32-236;

(c) Machinery and equipment described under subparagraph (a) of this subdivision, which is installed in any manufacturing facility or service facility, as both terms are defined in section 32-9p, which facility is in an enterprise zone designated pursuant to section 32-70 and for which a notice of intent was submitted on or after July 1, 2019, to the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of section 2 of this act, at the rate negotiated pursuant to said subdivision;

[(c) This] (d) The exemption under this subdivision shall terminate for the assessment year next following if the manufacturing facility or service facility in which such machinery and equipment is installed no longer qualifies for an exemption under said subdivision (59), and there shall not be a pro rata application of the exemption of such machinery and equipment in the assessment year of such termination. Any person who desires to claim the exemption provided in this subdivision shall file annually with the assessor or board of assessors in the distressed municipality, targeted investment community, enterprise zone designated pursuant to section 32-70 or a town in an airport development zone established pursuant to section 32-75d in which the manufacturing facility or service facility is located, on or before the first day of November, written application claiming such exemption on a form prescribed by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management. Failure to file such application in this manner and form within the time limit prescribed shall constitute a waiver of the right to such exemption for such assessment year, unless an extension of time is allowed pursuant to section 12-81k, and upon payment of the required fee for late filing. This exemption shall not apply to rolling stock;

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:

Section 1

from passage

New section

Sec. 2

from passage

New section

Sec. 3

July 1, 2019

12-81(59) and (60)

Statement of Purpose:

To (1) require the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development to develop specific benchmarks to assess enterprise zone benefits recipients, and (2) allow said commissioner to negotiate certain property tax exemptions with a business seeking enterprise zone benefits and the chief elected official of the municipality in which such enterprise zone is located.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]

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