Economic Development
Goal:
Promote and maintain a high quality of life in Chisago County by
encouraging business development and private investment using as few
county and city dollars as possible.
Objective: Expand Local Commercial/Industrial Tax Base
Existing Tax Base Composition, Percent
Market Value Commercial/Industrial
|
Harris – 5.05% |
Chisago County –
5.33%
Statewide Average – 15.31%
Metro Counties Average – 19.81
Non-metro Counties
Average – 8.94% (Source: MN
Dept. of Revenue, 2002) |
|
Center City – 6.61% |
|
Taylors Falls – 8.00% |
|
Lindstrom – 9.38% |
|
Chisago City – 9.92% |
|
North Branch – 11.8% |
|
Wyoming – 14.26% |
|
Stacy – 17.42% |
|
Statewide Average – 19.85% |
|
Shafer – 21.20% |
|
Rush City – 22.26% |
|
(2000 Data, League of Minnesota Cities) |
Work Plan
- Continue the County’s
business retention and expansion program.
- Assist start-up and
expanding businesses obtain financing to keep them in Chisago
County.
- Market the County/Cities
as a great place to live and do business – support and encourage new
business development opportunities.
Objective: Create “buildable” sites with infrastructure to
attract new commercial/industrial businesses.
There are very few available sites in Chisago County
that are suitable for commercial/industrial development that have
the necessary infrastructure in place.
Work Plan
- Expand the
County’s Commercial/Industrial Park Development Program.
- Work with communities to
provide TIF assistance to finance infrastructure improvements and
offer business incentives.
- Work with cities in the
county to identify and protect areas that are suitable for
industrial/commercial development.
Objective: Create new jobs; retain existing jobs and increase wages for
residents in the County
65-80% of Chisago County’s working residents
commute outside of the area to work everyday.
Based on 4th Qtr. 2001
information from the Minnesota Department of Economic Security, the
average statewide hourly wage is $18.33 per hour. In Chisago
County, the average hourly wage is $13.88 per hour. Chisago
County workers make $9,256 per year less than the statewide average.
Work
Plan
-
Encourage and support
new high-tech, high-wage paying business development opportunities
in the county.
-
Work with DEED and
Minnesota Technology, Inc. to identify potential new business
relocation/expansion opportunities.
-
Create a Countywide
Technology Revolving Loan Fund (potential funding sources include:
consortium of local banks, through the use of Community Investment
Credits, Rural Business Enterprise Grant Program, Intermediary
Re-Lending Program, Minnesota Investment Fund).
-
Work with existing businesses on expansion opportunities.
-
Develop a “technology campus” that focuses on high tech businesses
or start-up companies.
Objective: Promote affordable high-speed internet access for business retention
& recruitment
Top 3 things businesses are currently
looking for when selecting a site:
1.) Available
Workforce
2.)
Inexpensive land,
buildings, infrastructure and gap financing
3.)
Communications systems –
to communicate with customers/corporate offices in Minneapolis/St.
Paul and/or other states
Work Plan
- Work closely with the MN
Department of Administration to ensure a voice for Chisago County on
the MN Rural Internet Initiative.
- Work closely with
Minnesota Technology, Inc. to stay in tune with the latest changes
in telecommunications technology.
- Identify
affordable access to broadband connectivity for all areas of the
County.
- Explore wireless
Internet opportunities for all areas of the County.
Housing/Community Development
Objective: Promote and maintain a high quality of life in Chisago County by: 1)
assisting our communities redevelop and rehabilitate substandard and
deteriorating homes and commercial properties, 2) assisting our
seniors find affordable rental housing, and 3) assisting homebuyers
purchase their first home in the County.
Work Plan
- Assist Rush City in
administering its new single-family housing development Small Cites
Development Program.
- Assist Center City in
administering its Small Cities Development Program to construct new
senior housing units and rehabilitate its commercial and rental
housing buildings.
- Work with the City of
Taylors Falls to apply for Small Cities Development Program funds
for commercial and housing rehabilitation.
- Work with the City of
Lindstrom to apply for Small Cities Development Program funds for
commercial and housing rehabilitation.
- Work with the City of
Harris to apply for Small Cities Development Program funds to make
improvements to its water system and for commercial and housing
rehabilitation.
At $13.88 per hour, (using standard mortgage underwriting criteria)
an average worker could afford to purchase a $95,000 home.
There are very few $95,000 homes currently on the market in Chisago
County – the low end is closer to $150,000.
-
Apply for additional DEED and
Minnesota Housing Finance Agency first-time homebuyer programs on
behalf of the County.
 |
