Agricultural businesses looking to invest or expand in Jay County now have a guide to follow when applying for tax abatements.

Jay County Council approved Wednesday an agriculture-based real property tax abatement policy.

The approval came after multiple failed motions, varying from sending the issue back to an advisory committee to striking the number of retained jobs to simply not allowing the abatements in the first place.

Working off of a policy proposal from Jay County Development Corp. executive director Bill Bradley, the board approved guidelines that would increase the amount of investment dollars needed while also shortening the life span of the available abatement options.

The policy has two tiers:

•A three-year abatement would be awarded to an investment of $1 million to $4.9 with the creation or retention of two full-time jobs.

•A five-year abatement would be awarded to an investment of $5 million or more with the creation or retention of four full-time jobs.

A part-time employee would be treated as half of a job when calculating creation or retention.

The original proposal included a seven-year abatement, but council members weren’t comfortable allowing that length of assistance.

“I don’t like a seven-year tax abatement,” said council member Ted Champ. “It’s too long.”

Having awarded tax abatements in the past on a case-by-case basis, Bradley is happy to have guidelines.
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