JEDC may provide incentives for future Haydon Burns Library tenant

[urbanlibertarian]

Via the Times-Union:

http://jacksonville.com/business/2011-04-11/story/jedc-considers-tax-incentives-130-new-jobs-jacksonville

By David Bauerlein

The Jacksonville Economic Development Commission will vote Thursday on $375,000 in state and city financial incentives for Ringtail Technologies to establish its headquarters in the old downtown library.

Ringtail Technologies, which started in Belize, would create up to 75 jobs for administration, sales, engineering, manufacturing and technical support by the end of 2014. The average pay would be $45,838, according to a project summary.

The company would spend about $3 million for equipment, information technology and furnishings at the library, at 122 N. Ocean St. Developers want to fill the old library with a mix of offices, restaurants and entertainment venues.

Ringtail Technologies has developed and sells wireless technology enabling customers to get Internet, telephone and television service through a single set-top box.

If Ringtail Technologies obtains incentives, the state would pay the larger share. Because the jobs would pay wages above the state average and the old library is considered to be in a brownfield area, the company would be able to get tax credits worth up to $5,000 per job. The city's share of the tab would be $600 per job and the state would absorb the remaining cost.

The company showed off its technology last November at a presentation in Jacksonville.

Also on Thursday's JEDC agenda, C2C Solutions Inc., a subsidiary of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, is seeking incentives worth up to $165,000 for the creation of 55 jobs in Jacksonville. The city would pay up to $33,000 and the state would pay the balance.

C2C Solutions expects to add the jobs by the end of 2012 if it is able to win a contract to expand its role in federal governments appeals process for Medicare. C2C Solutions is a qualified independent contractor for appeals by recipients who think their claims were wrongly denied.

C2C now employs 53 people handling such appeals for people in 36 states. The doubling of the workforce would come from a contract for Medicare Advantage appeals.

[urbanlibertarian]

I would rather see policies that are friendly to all businesses than these targeted incentives but this is good news for my 'hood.

[hillary supporter]

I would rather see policies that are friendly to all businesses than these targeted incentives but this is good news for my 'hood.

Agreed, but i wonder what the governor will say. Am i wrong in that i see a bit of state monies involved? Also the city pays a big amount. Wonder how our candidates see this. If we can get these people in the old library, its a big step of economic recovery for all of Jax. Including downtown.

[wsansewjs]

Ringtail Technologies could work with a deal for WIFI throughout the walking streets of the Downtown!

Come on, City Government, RELAX YOUR STIFF MUSCLES on the business for the love of God!

-Josh

[John P]

130 jobs is nothing to sneaze at. Manufacturing in downtown? Who would have thought.

[copperfiend]

Sounds better than some 'pie in the sky' mixed use development that will never happen. More workers downtown is a good thing.

[duvaldude08]

Sounds good to me. More jobs= More People downtown.

[Jason]

I wonder where C2C would be setting up shop.  Are they already in the BCBS Tower or out in the burbs?

[downtownjag]

Per the article, this was supposed to be voted on Thursday; does anyone know anything about the status?