Business View Magazine - November 2016

Business View Magazine - November 2016 125 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.”