Colorado Real Estate Journal - June 15, 2016
The Colorado Economic Development Commission approved REBCO Enterprises LLC to join the Rural JumpStart Tax Credit Program in Mesa County, which offers businesses and their employees a tax break for up to eight years. REBCO Enterprises produces the “Hydropot,” the world’s only ultra-low energy, fully self-contained, soil-less growing system that recycles water. The company plans to produce the two largest components for the Hydropot in Grand Junction using local manufacturers. The products will be distributed to hydroponics stores, nurseries and wholesale distributers nationwide. Reb Bieber, founder of REBCO Enterprises, moved his family to Grand Junction from California in order to participate in the Jump-Start program. “We see a lot of synergies with industry in California,” said Kristi Pollard, executive director of the Grand Junction Economic Partnership, the official economic development agency for Mesa County and the first point of contact for companies seeking to join Jump-Start. “We’ve got a strong foundation in agriculture, health care and renewable energy, and we also have a fast-growing tech industry.” Earlier this year, Australian based TSW Analytical, a global leader in forensics investigation and technology development, opened its first North American operations in Mesa County as part of Jump-Start. REBCO and TSW Analytical are joined by two local expansion projects: Colorado Clean, a biodegradable-plastics company, and ProStar Geocorp, a software company providing geospatial intelligent solutions to pipeline and utility owners. “Mesa County is budding with young entrepreneurs with big ideas,” continued Pollard. “We’re excited to be able to offer them a program like Jump-Start to get their business off the ground running.” Mesa County is Colorado’s first Jump-Start zone. JumpStart companies receive up to eight years of zero state income and sales and use taxes; zero county and municipal property taxes and sales and use taxes; and zero state income taxes for their employees. In exchange, the businesses will add a minimum of five net new jobs to the county in high-paying, highly skilled fields. The companies also agree to form a partnership with Colorado Mesa University through mentorship, internship opportunities and community involvement. Updates… Gov. John Hickenlooper, Colorado’s “bike czar” Ken Gart and Luis Benitez, director of the recently launched Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, donned Spandex for a recent visit to Colorado’s Grand Valley May 15. The delegation met with several local business leaders and elected officials throughout the Grand Valley, taking the opportunity to explore on bike between meetings. The trip confirmed the governor’s commitment to making the state of Colorado’s outdoor recreation industry a top priority for economic development – and sealed the Grand Valley’s place among the frontrunners for outdoor recreation industry growth. “The Grand Valley is on the path to become the outdoor destination in the state of Colorado – a place where you can bike, ski, moto, fish and paddle the Colorado River all in the same weekend,” said Sarah Shrader, founding member of the Outdoor Recreation Coalition of the Grand Valley and owner of Bonsai Design. “We are thrilled to have the governor’s support.”