Business View Magazine
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same qualifying criteria as a new business. But even
when that is not the case, current businesses in the
region are not crying foul when new companies, quali-
fied under the Rural Jumpstart program, get their tax
breaks. “We have over two hundred businesses that
are part of our organization that work with us on re-
cruiting new businesses and working with existing
businesses on expansion. And they are extremely sup-
portive,” she avers. “They recognize that when we can
create more jobs, it is going to help everybody; it con-
tributes to the local tax base; it will create new custom-
ers for car dealerships, for grocery stores, for retailers.
That has been the mindset of our commu-
nity. And so, the folks, here locally, have
been partners.”
Another one of GJEP’s initiatives designed
to help local businesses is its attempt to
have the region classified as a foreign
trade zone and port of entry. “Our near-
est foreign trade zone and port of entry for
businesses that import and export is Den-
ver, which is four hours to the east, or Salt
Lake City, which is four hours to the west,”
Pollard says. “We currently have over 24
businesses that import and export in and
out of our community. And we believe that
this will be a costs savings for them because this will
allow them to ship directly to and from Mesa County.
It will save them on tariffs and the customs officer. We
are working with our congressional delegation as well
as our state legislators to help make this a reality. We
know it’s going to have great potential. As we recruit
new businesses, we are hearing, more and more fre-
quently, of companies importing from the Pacific Rim
some piece, if not a good majority, of their product
line. So, this is a tool that we need to be able to grow
economically.”
