Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 238 - Wisconsin economic development corporation.
238.399 - Enterprise zone.

238.399 Enterprise zone.
(1) Definitions. In this section:
(am)
1. Except as provided in subd. 2., “full-time employee" means an individual who is employed in a regular, nonseasonal job and who, as a condition of employment, is required to work at least 2,080 hours per year, including paid leave and holidays.
2. The corporation may grant exceptions to the requirement under subd. 1. that a full-time employee means an individual who, as a condition of employment, is required to work at least 2,080 hours per year if all of the following apply:
a. The individual is employed in a job for which the annual pay is more than the amount determined by multiplying 2,080 by 150 percent of the federal minimum wage.
b. The individual is offered retirement, health, and other benefits that are equivalent to the retirement, health, and other benefits offered to an individual who is required to work at least 2,080 hours per year.
(bm) “Personnel" means all of the following:
1. A business' employees in an enterprise zone.
2. Individuals who provide services to a business as independent contractors in this state.
(c) “Tax benefits" means the income and franchise tax credits under ss. 71.07 (3w), 71.28 (3w), and 71.47 (3w).
(3) Designation of enterprise zones; criteria.
(a) The corporation may designate any number of enterprise zones in this state.
(am) The corporation may not designate a new enterprise zone under par. (a) except as follows:
1. Before the corporation designates a new enterprise zone, the corporation shall notify the joint committee on finance in writing of the corporation's intention to designate a new enterprise zone. The notice shall describe the new zone and the purposes for which the corporation proposes to designate the new zone.
2. If, within 14 working days after the date of the corporation's notice under subd. 1., the cochairpersons of the joint committee on finance do not notify the corporation that the committee has scheduled a meeting to review the corporation's proposal, the corporation may designate the new enterprise zone as proposed in the corporation's notice. If, within 14 working days after the date of the corporation's notice under subd. 1., the cochairpersons of the committee notify the corporation that the committee has scheduled a meeting to review the corporation's proposal, the corporation may designate the new enterprise zone only upon approval of the committee.
(b) In determining whether to designate an area under par. (a), the corporation shall consider all of the following:
1. Indicators of the area's economic need, which may include data regarding household income, average wages, the condition of property, housing values, population decline, job losses, infrastructure and energy support, the rate of business development, and the existing resources available to the area.
2. The effect of designation on other initiatives and programs to promote economic and community development in the area, including job retention, job creation, job training, and creating high-paying jobs.
(bm) The corporation shall specify whether an enterprise zone designated under par. (a) is located in a tier I county or municipality or a tier II county or municipality.
(c) The corporation shall, to the extent possible, give preference to the greatest economic need.
(d) Notwithstanding pars. (b) and (c), the corporation shall designate as enterprise zones at least 3 areas comprising political subdivisions whose populations total less than 5,000 and at least 2 areas comprising political subdivisions whose populations total 5,000 or more but less than 30,000. In designating an enterprise zone under this paragraph, the corporation may consider indicators of an area's economic need and the effect of designation on other economic development activities.
(4) Time limits; reporting.
(a) A designation under sub. (3) may remain in effect for no more than 12 years.
(b) If an enterprise zone designation expires under par. (a), the corporation may designate a new enterprise zone subject to the limits of sub. (3).
(5) Certification. The corporation may certify for tax benefits any of the following:
(a) A business that begins operations in an enterprise zone.
(b) A business that relocates to an enterprise zone from outside this state, if the business offers compensation and benefits to its employees working in the zone for the same type of work that are at least as favorable as those offered to its employees working outside the zone, as determined by the corporation.
(c) A business that expands operations in an enterprise zone, but only if any of the following apply:
1. The business will increase its personnel by at least 10 percent and all of the following apply:
a. The business enters into an agreement with the corporation to claim tax benefits only for years during which the business maintains the increased level of personnel.
b. The business offers compensation and benefits for the same type of work to its employees working in the enterprise zone that are at least as favorable as those offered to its employees working in this state but outside the zone, as determined by the corporation.
2. The business makes a significant capital investment in property located in the enterprise zone and all of the following apply:
b. The business enters into an agreement with the corporation to claim tax benefits only for years during which the business maintains the capital investment.
c. The business offers compensation and benefits for the same type of work to its employees working in the zone that are at least as favorable as those offered to its employees working in this state but outside the zone, as determined by the corporation.
(d) A business that retains jobs in an enterprise zone, but only if the business makes a significant capital investment in property located in the enterprise zone and, unless the property is located in an enterprise zone designated under sub. (3) (d), at least one of the following applies:
1. The business is a manufacturer with a significant supply chain in the state, as determined by the corporation.
2. More than 500 full-time employees are employed by the business in the enterprise zone.
(e) A business located in an enterprise zone if the business purchases tangible personal property, items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or services from Wisconsin vendors, as determined by the corporation.
(f) No more than one financial services technology business that, after completing a competitive corporate relocation process, retains its corporate headquarters in this state and retains at least 93 percent of its full-time employees in this state who were identified as being full-time employees of the business in the base year, as determined by the corporation.
(5m) Additional tax benefits for significant capital expenditures. If the corporation determines that a business certified under sub. (5) makes a significant capital expenditure in the enterprise zone, the corporation may certify the business to receive additional tax benefits in an amount to be determined by the corporation, but not exceeding 10 percent of the business' capital expenditures. The corporation shall, in a manner determined by the corporation, allocate the tax benefits a business is certified to receive under this subsection over the remainder of the time limit of the enterprise zone under sub. (4) (a).
(6) Other duties.
(b) The corporation shall revoke a certification under sub. (5) if the business does any of the following:
1. Supplies false or misleading information to obtain tax benefits.
2. Leaves the enterprise zone to conduct substantially the same business outside of the enterprise zone.
3. Ceases operations in the enterprise zone and does not renew operation of the business or a similar business in the enterprise zone within 12 months.
(d) The corporation may require a business to repay any tax benefits the business claims for a year in which the business failed to maintain employment levels or a significant capital investment in property required by an agreement under sub. (5) (c).
(e) The corporation shall determine the maximum amount of the tax credits under ss. 71.07 (3w), 71.28 (3w), and 71.47 (3w) that a certified business may claim and shall notify the department of revenue of this amount.
(f) The corporation shall verify, under s. 238.03 (2) (e), the information submitted to the corporation by the person for the purpose of claiming tax benefits.
(g) The corporation shall adopt policies and procedures specifying all of the following:
1. The definitions of a tier I county or municipality and a tier II county or municipality. The corporation may consider all of the following information when establishing the definitions required under this subdivision:
a. Unemployment rate.
b. Percentage of families with incomes below the poverty line established under 42 USC 9902 (2).
c. Median family income.
d. Median per capita income.
e. Other significant or irregular indicators of economic distress, such as a natural disaster or mass layoff.
2m. The definition of “significant capital investment" for purposes of sub. (5).
3. The definition of “significant capital expenditure" for purposes of sub. (5m).
History: 2005 a. 361; 2007 a. 20, 97, 100; 2009 a. 11, 28, 266, 267; 2011 a. 26; 2011 a. 32 s. 3437; Stats. 2011 s. 238.399; 2013 a. 20; 2013 a. 166 ss. 54, 60, 76; 2015 a. 55; 2017 a. 58, 369.

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