|
|
|
|
Economic Development Action Plan |
|
|
 Taking
Little Rock to the Next Level
Little Rock’s future depends on a healthy economy. As a successful
businessman and lawyer, and as former Prosecutor and City Attorney, Mark
brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the mayor’s job. An
educated work force, safe neighborhoods, great parks and quality of life
city services are things which influence business and industry decisions
on relocation. Mark is committed to creating a business climate which
fosters innovation, and which brings new business and investment to our
city.
Mark will:
- Aggressively use Empowerment Zones
to attract businesses.
Much of the central and southwest parts of Little Rock are in the
Pulaski County Empowerment Zone. These areas have been identified as
having the greatest need and the best opportunities to utilize tax
incentives provided to stimulate business growth. Mark will
aggressively promote the relocation and expansion of small businesses
in these Empowerment Zones so as to create economic opportunities and
generate jobs and hope for many Little Rock residents.
Significant federal tax incentives exist to promote economic
development and create jobs in these parts of the city. The area has
been targeted for significant redevelopment. By locating the
businesses in these areas and by hiring groups of people who live in
these areas or who statistically fall within the high unemployment
rate category, several tax incentives exist. The emphasis of the
Empowerment Zones is to provide new jobs for groups with high
unemployment rates.
Tax incentives available include an “employment wage credit” of up to
$3,000.00 for every existing employee and new hire who lives and works
in the Empowerment Zone;
- a work opportunity tax credit
of up to $2,400.00 against federal taxes for businesses that
hire from groups that have high unemployment rates;
- “welfare to work tax credits” for businesses
that hire long term family assistance recipients.
- The program also provides for environmental
cleanup cost deductions, capital gains incentives, enterprise
facility bonds, new market tax credits, and low income housing
tax credits. Mark will actively recruit and promote businesses
to take advantage of the federal tax credits so as to bring more
jobs to our city.
|
Mark will:
- Develop a strong neighborhood initiative.
The strategy of this action plan is to provide meaningful and visible
change in several neighborhoods throughout the city though four (4)
initiatives.
- Affordable Housing: Mark will create a housing coalition made up of
various interest groups whose purpose it is to provide affordable
housing stock. He will work to preserve existing houses as well as
provide new infill housing particularly in the Mid-Town areas of our
city, bounded by Interstate 30 on the East, University Avenue on the
West and Interstate 630 on the North.
By working with non-profit groups and neighborhood leaders to
implement a wide range of reinvestment strategies, housing stock will
be rehabilitated and property values will improve. By partnering with
the private sector and area banks, the program will include
rehabilitation through home improvement grants, private investments
and contributions from the private sector.
Additionally new infill housing will be targeted to improve specific
neighborhoods by coordinating the efforts of the Little Rock Housing
Authority who will be building 66 new units, and the Little Rock
Municipal Airport Commission who is relocating approximately 75
families from between the two runways at the Airport. Neighborhood
revitalization in the Mid-Town area will be identified so that new
infill housing will be developed to replace the vacant weed lots which
exist in this area.
- Cleaner Neighborhoods. Through the efforts of increased code
enforcement and increased neighborhood action. Mark will lead a
campaign to make our neighborhoods a more beautiful place to live by
insisting on aggressive code enforcement and penalties against
absentee landlords that allow their properties to become nuisances in
the neighborhood. Mark will use his knowledge of the law to rid our
neighborhoods of drug houses which are magnets for other criminal
activity.
- Safer and More Attractive Residential Streets. Through sidewalk
replacement and repairs, street tree planting and improved street
lighting along with educating our citizens to take greater
responsibility for the safety and attractiveness of our streets, Mark
will improve the quality of life of many of our existing
neighborhoods.
- Vital Business Districts. Mark will work with
small business owners to help grow their businesses by connecting them to
new resources and encouraging entrepreneurship. He will help build
stronger business alliances by working aggressively with the Chamber of
Commerce and the Little Rock Metro Alliance. This will also include the
City taking a lead in providing mentoring programs for disadvantaged
business enterprises (DBE) so that they may compete on an equal footing
with others for various city contracts.
|
Mark will:
- Promote increased business development opportunity at the Little
Rock National Airport.
Aviation business activity at Little Rock National Airport is a
tremendous economic engine for the city and for the entire state.
Collectively, Little Rock National’s total employment, including
related businesses is over 16,000 employees representing a payroll of
over $500 million a year with a total economic impact to the city and
the state of over $1.2 billion. Increases in business aviation jobs
and the existence of Dassault Falcon Jet and Raytheon at the Airport
will provide in the future a great economic hope for the city to be a
leader in this business sector.
Mark will:
- Work with the medical community to continue to promote the
outstanding medical facilities that exist in Little Rock along
Interstate 630 and the wonderful bio-technology research which is
developing through the talented faculty that exists at all of the
medical institutions along in this corridor.
Mark will:
- Actively foster and promote the growth of Little Rock’s Fortune 500
companies, including Axciom, Alltel and Dillards. Our best opportunity
for growth is found at home. The city needs to work with these
companies and others as they seek new ways to grow and prosper.
Mark will:
- Help UALR and Philander Smith become great academic institutions.
Recognizing that every great city has a great university, Mark will
actively promote the unique learning opportunities that exist in
Little Rock, including the institutions referenced above as well as
Pulaski Technical College with particular emphasis the importance of
developing UALR’s Cyber College and its Engineering Department.
Mark will:
- Work to make our entire city accessible to wireless internet
services. Knowing the educational opportunities which exist with
access to the internet, Mark is committed to Little Rock becoming a
wireless city. He knows that regardless of a person’s economic status,
the key to learning in the 21st century is tied to the Internet.
Currently more than 100 municipal broadband networks have been created
throughout the country, with another 100 more on the way. Mark’s goal
is to add Little Rock to the list.
Mark will:
- Work to redevelop War Memorial Park and the University Avenue
corridor. Recognizing that the Urban Land Institute was hired in 2001
to assist the city with its Mid-Town Redevelopment District, Mark will
work with the advisory committee that has been created to develop a
comprehensive plan for redevelopment of the University corridor as
well as University Mall. He is a firm believer that these projects
should be integrated with the redevelopment of War Memorial Park to
create a unique park like setting in the heart of the city.
Mark will:
- Bring businesses and schools together to create more jobs for young
people. Recognizing that the key to a long range reduction in the
crime rate is based on education and based on teaching young people
respect for people and property, Mark will work with our area
businesses to create more and better jobs for young people so that
they will learn that a good education and a good job is a long term
investment in their own personal success and long term us much better
than resorting to dealing drugs on the streets. Currently, the City of
Little Rock provides 300 jobs to young people during the summer
months. Mark is committed to finding three time as many jobs and
having them available year round.
|
|
