Work continues on economic development bill

With just three weeks to go in the formal legislative session, a House-Senate conference committee will soon begin working out the differences between wide-ranging economic development bills passed by each branch in June and July.

Both bills contain multiple initiatives that would boost economic development opportunities at the local level, including the following:

• Expansion of the Infrastructure Investment Incentive (I-Cubed) program, which would allow more municipalities to access financing for essential infrastructure projects in support of high-value developments

• Recapitalization of the Brownfields Redevelopment Fund, allowing for the remediation of more sites in more municipalities

• Expansion of site eligibility for Economic Development Incentive Program projects, which receive tax incentives for job creation, manufacturing job retention and private investment commitments

• Creation of a Transformative Redevelopment Fund, which would support equity investments, technical assistance and the creation of collaborative workspaces to jumpstart revitalization in Gateway Cities

• Expansion of the Housing Development Incentive Program, offering developers in Gateway Cities tax credits of up to 10 percent for market-rate and mixed-income housing units

The Senate bill includes language, supported by the MMA and local officials across the state, that would remove the statutory limit on the number of liquor licenses that a municipality can issue. This change would eliminate the burdensome home rule petition process that each city or town must undertake for each additional license. Instead, each municipality, at its discretion, would be able to create a plan for the number of liquor licenses that it deems appropriate.

The House’s bill includes language supported by the telecommunications industry but strongly opposed by the MMA and local officials that would preempt local control over the siting of wireless antennas and equipment.

The House and Senate bills were preceded by the governor’s economic development bill, which did not include language regarding wireless facilities or liquor licenses. His bill did not receive a vote in the Legislature.