Some of Oklahoma’s business enhancement programs, such as the Quality Jobs and 21st Century Quality Jobs programs, have been so successful Oklahoma has “leaped ahead” of other states in business and job recruitment.
Jonna D. Kirschner, general counsel for Oklahoma Department of Commerce, told members of Enid Regional Development Alliance that news during their quarterly meeting Thursday.
Kirschner, a fifth-generation Oklahoman, said the mission of Commerce Department is to increase the quantity and quality of Oklahoma and Enid jobs. The department looked at legacy industries and assets to determine if they can help increase jobs. With the assistance of state Rep. Mike Jackson, R-Enid, Kirschner said they were able to increase some incentives in two specific areas.
The 21st Century Quality Jobs Act recruits for high-paying, knowledge-based jobs.
The Quality Jobs program has been in existence since 1993 and 550 companies have participated, creating 500,000 jobs with a payroll of $13.5 billion. The program has paid out $600 million to those businesses.
Kirschner said the Commerce Department has narrowed the application process down to two pages. Qualifying industries are manufacturing, oil and gas companies with headquarters in the state and service companies. Companies must pay an average wage equal to that of the average in the county where they are located, or $29,409, and achieve $2.5 million in payroll within three years.
The list of qualifying companies recently was expanded to include wind energy companies.
The 21st Century Quality Jobs Act targets knowledge-based industries and is aimed at high-paying companies. It requires 10 full-time employees at a wage of $99,418, or 300 percent of the home county average. Qualifying industries include professional, scientific, technical services, music, film, performing arts and specialty hospitals. Qualifiers can include both existing and new industries.
Kirschner hoped the state’s current budget situation, which has lawmakers dealing with a shortfall of some $1 billion for fiscal year 2011, would not affect any of the job-creating programs, but said some had been included for review in the governor’s budget and in the legislative budget.
“With these new programs we have leaped ahead of other states,” she said.
Jody Harris, of U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development, talked about a number of programs available through the federal farm bill. Among the eligible projects are energy efficiency projects, improvements, or purchase of renewable energy systems such as solar, biomass, geothermal or wind turbines.