Site Selection magazine ranked Iberville Parish fourth on its List of 2005 Giants in capital investment in 2006. Let’s meet to discuss how we can help your business.

On the state level, your business may qualify for one or more of the following:

The Atchafalaya National Heritage Area Development Zone (ATHADZ) is a tax credit program for small businesses (fewer than 20 employees) within the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area, which make use of the natural, cultural and historic assets of the Heritage Area. Two tax credits focus on heritage-based cottage industries. Both have five year credits, with unused credits to be carried forward up to 10 years. Program requires business owner to be a heritage area resident. (Excluded Businesses: church, hotel, motel, restaurant, gaming facility, and housing).

• Heritage Small Business tax credit offers a state income tax credit of up to $1,500 per year to qualifying businesses.
  
• New Employee tax credit offers an additional state income tax credit of up to $1,500 per year to qualifying businesses that have net new hires of one full-time or two part-time employees.

THE GOVERNOR'S RAPID RESPONSE FUND: HB 460 of the 2005 Regular Session made this a permanent $10 million annual fund for making major awards to businesses with economic development projects that can potentially create/retain jobs in Louisiana.

THE GULF OPPORTUNITY ZONE ACT OF 2005 (GO ZONE) provides tax incentives and bond provisions to rebuild local and regional economies devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Iberville Parish is designated a GO Zone Act parish. Some business opportunities available are:

• Tax exempt bond financing that allows private and public businesses, retailers, commercial developers, utilities and hospitals to build or rebuild at borrowing costs as much as 1.5 to 2% below conventional financing options. GO Zone bonds are exempt from federal and state taxes.
  
• GO Zone Bonus Depreciation allows qualified businesses an annual depreciation deduction equal to 50% of the depreciable basis of qualified property for the first year the property is placed in service. This deduction is calculated after any IRS Code Section 179 deduction.
  
• IRS Code Section 179 provides qualifying property in GO Zone areas may increase the amount expensed to place the property in service up to $208,000 with a ceiling on the total qualifying property of $1,030,000.
  
• Employer federal income tax credits of up to 40% of the first $6,000 paid to employees hired whose primary residence was in a GO Zone Parish before August 2005. Credits are available through August 2007.

LOUISIANA EARLY STAGE ANGEL INVESTMENT incentives provided by HB 627 of the 2005 Regular Session -- Accredited Louisiana investors can receive a 50% tax credit divided into portions of 10% over five years on income or corporation franchise tax liability owed to the state for early-stage investments in Louisiana-based startups.

THE LOUISIANA ENTERPRISE ZONE PROGRAM provides tax credits and rebates, including a $2,500 tax credit for each new permanent job created during the first five years of operation and a rebate of the state's 4% sales/use tax on the materials, machinery, & equipment purchased during the construction period and used exclusively on site.

LOUISIANA ENTREPRENEURIAL SERVICES AND PROGRAMS: Small emerging business development and incentives available through La. Dept. of Economic Development.

LOUISIANA FILM & TELEVISION TAX CREDIT: Film production costs and budgets are eligible for state income tax credits as well as additional state credit for local hiring.

LOUISIANA HEADQUARTER GROWTH PROGRAM eliminates interest and dividends taxes for companies locating their headquarters in Louisiana and aligns with other states to apportion income from capital gains.

LOUISIANA QUALITY JOBS PROGRAM rebates up to 6% of qualifying company's gross annual payroll associated with new jobs created by a project for up to 10 years, and may rebate the state's 4% sales/use tax on the materials, machinery, & equipment purchased during the construction period and used exclusively on site.

LOUISIANA INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM abates local property taxes for 10 years on a manufacturer's investment in buildings, machinery, equipment, and other properties that are part of the manufacturing process and that remain on the plant site.

LOUISIANA INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTIONS of 50% on property taxes on buildings, machinery and equipment for new manufacturing operations and expansions for a five year period with the potential for a five-year extension.

LOUISIANA RAIL ROLLING STOCK TAX EXEMPTION offers tax incentives to companies to encourage the manufacturing and repair of rail rolling stock within Louisiana.

LOUISIANA RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CREDIT provides tax credits for R&D activities from 8 to 20% to companies claiming federal income tax credit for research activities. These companies will now be able to claim against state income and corporation franchise taxes up to 8% of the state's apportioned share of increased R&D expenses or 25% of its apportioned share of federal research credit claimed.

On the local Level, your business may also be eligible for one or more of the following:

• IBERVILLE BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY PARK is located at Louisiana Highways One and 1148 and is spread over 100 acres located in an Enterprise Zone. Plots range one to 60 acres. Missouri Pacific Railway is nearby. Baton Rouge Metro Airport is 25 miles and New Orleans International Airport is 65 miles from the City of Plaquemine.
  
• INCENTIVES AND INFRASTRUCTURE for Plaquemine businesses includes city-owned and operated infrastructure services of electricity, natural gas, water, sewer, fire and police protection, including parish-provided solid waste collection. AT&T major fiber optic relay station located downtown.
  
• LOW TAXES AND MILLAGES in Plaquemine which is 8.66% for city, parish and state sales tax. There is no state property tax in Louisiana. Land and other classes of property are assessed at 15 % of value and public service at 25%. Average Iberville Parish millage rate is 88.86%.
  
• MAIN STREET BUSINESS DISTRICT: A Louisiana-designed Main Street City since 1992, City of Plaquemine has 21 city blocks included in the National Register of Historic Places, along with the City's Historic District as well as the Garden District and Turnerville District.

Additional opportunities within the Plaquemine Main Street District include:

• THE GULF OPPORTUNITY ZONE ACT OF 2005 (GO ZONE) further include: Rehabilitation of historic buildings and non-residential buildings built before 1936 — Federal 20% Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit increased to 26% for costs incurred from August 28, 2005 through January 1, 2009. The 10% Credit for income-producing buildings built prior to 1936 will be increased to 13% for the same period.
  
• Louisiana Redevelopment Incentive Grant Program (formerly known as Facade Grant) (commercial property in the Plaquemine Historict District only)
  
• Interior Design technical assistance (business property only) - complimentary service by State Main Street
  
• Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit:  Homeowners may qualify for a 25% tax credit (50% for vacant and blighted properties) with a $25,000 credit cap per building and rehabilitation costs must exceed $10,000.  20% federal income tax credit on the rehabilitating cost of a certified historic property for income-producing purposes; Hotels, home offices and apartments in private residences are eligible for credits on the basis of square footage. 25% state income tax credit may apply for eligible homeowners (50% for vacant and blighted properties in the Historic District).  Eligible expenses must exceed $10.000
• National Park Service Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives
  
• Renovation/Restoration technical assistance
  
• State Restoration Tax Abatement: The assessed value and the property assessment can be frozen at the pre-improvement level for five (5) years and may be renewed for an additional (5) five years. This tax program can be used in combination with the federal historic preservation tax credit program. No set minimum amount of money an owner must spend in order to qualify. The only exception: Owner-occupied dwelling projects must be valued at least 25% of the assessed valuation of the building. In this case, the assessed valuation is generally figured at 10% of the appraised market value
  
• 2007 Cultural District: Act 298 of the 2007 Regular Session provides tax incentives within approved Cultural Districts: Cap on owner-occupied historic preservation tax credits increased from $1M to $10M and sales/use tax exemption for sale proceeds of original, one-of-a-kind works of art from locations established within the Cultural District.