Sen. Nelson, Enterprise Zones and commercial space

[docm]

Link....

Tax breaks for space-related businesses are the focus of the Commercial Space Jobs and Investment Act, a bill U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson is scheduled to unveil today with the goal of sparking post-shuttle job growth on the Space Coast and elsewhere.

The bill from Nelson, D-Orlando, would create up to five regional business enterprise zones around places such as Kennedy Space Center where businesses could receive increased tax breaks or tax credits for research, equipment depreciation and education and job training. The measure also would offer a capital tax credit for equity investment in commercial space businesses.

The fledgling commercial space industry likely would find it easier to attract investment with the bill in place.
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Small and medium-sized entrepreneurial companies, like SpaceX and Orbital Sciences, would be most likely to benefit from the tax breaks. Larger companies, such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin, have such major operations that a tax break in a relatively small sector, such as the space industry, wouldn't make much difference, Heard said.

 

[Yuri_Armstrong]

Anything to help the commercial space industry.

 

[sftommy]

It's a neat idea, but the zoning provision suggests that it will exclusively benefit the same big corporations that Nelson has already proven himself beholden to. Boeing, Lockheed Martin, ATK, et al would love another tax break. As it is, it's political appeal would be lukewarm to those in Congress unhappy already. Probably just political noise to pacify the home front, not a serious proposal.

Remove zoning provision and make it industry wide, that would be a serious proposal!