135.205. Requirements to qualify as enterprise zone.

Requirements to qualify as enterprise zone.

135.205. For purposes of sections 135.200 to 135.256, an area mustmeet all the following criteria in order to qualify as an enterprise zone:

(1) The area is one of pervasive poverty, unemployment, and generaldistress;

(2) At least sixty-five percent of the residents living in the areahave incomes below eighty percent of the median income of all residentswithin the state of Missouri according to the last decennial census orother appropriate source as approved by the director;

(3) The resident population of the area must be at least fourthousand but not more than seventy-two thousand at the time of designationas an enterprise zone if the area lies within a metropolitan statisticalarea, as established by the United States Census Bureau; or, if the areadoes not lie within a metropolitan statistical area, the residentpopulation of the area at the time of designation must be at least onethousand but not more than twenty thousand inhabitants. If the populationof the jurisdiction of the governing authority does not meet the minimumpopulation requirements set forth in this subdivision, the population ofthe area must be at least fifty percent of the population of thejurisdiction; provided, however, no enterprise zone shall be created whichconsists of the total area within the political boundaries of a county; and

(4) The level of unemployment of persons, according to the mostrecent data available from the division of employment security or from theUnited States Bureau of Census and approved by the director, within thearea exceeds one and one-half times the average rate of unemployment forthe state of Missouri over the previous twelve months, or the percentage ofarea residents employed on a full-time basis is less than fifty percent ofthe statewide percentage of residents employed on a full-time basis.

(L. 1982 H.B. 1713, et al. § 3, A.L. 1983 H.B. 559, A.L. 1984 H.B. 1611 Revision, A.L. 1995 H.B. 414, A.L. 1999 H.B. 701)

CROSS REFERENCE:

Tax Credit Accountability Act of 2004, additional requirements, RSMo 135.800 to 135.830