New program introduced for more retail in Roosevelt County

The Roosevelt County Commission heard a presentation on a program that could potentially bring more retail businesses to the area by recruiting and retaining.

Jodi Diaz, executive director of the Roosevelt County Community Development Corporation (RCCDC) presented to the commission at their meeting on Tuesday.

Diaz said the Economic Development Incentive program would include a small percentage of gross receipt tax that would be reimbursed to a new or existing business in Roosevelt County if they were expanding.

It would not deplete the existing Local Economic Development Act fund; it would be separate.

“We have seen a couple other communities that are adopting it or have already been in the process of going through this incentive program,” Diaz said. “The ones we’ve seen have had success.”

Parameters would be set specifically for the community. Diaz gave examples such as:

• How much GRT needs to be brought in before the business is eligible.

• How many years the business is in business to be eligible.

• How many employees the business brings in.

Because it is a new program, Diaz said she is learning more about it and planned to present it to other boards.