Chuck Bevelheimer, director of Quincy Department of Planning and Development, said the renewal is important. The city and county have scheduled a Jan. 25 meeting of local tax districts to discuss extension of the enterprise zone. Knapheide currently employs 750 people. Wis-Pak has added 110 employees to the Adams County work force. Mayor Chuck Scholz agreed that enterprise zones are powerful tools for the city.
Enterprise zones offer various tax breaks to businesses that locate within their borders.
The zones are meant to encourage development in troubled areas. Enterprise zones have been useful tools in helping to encourage investment and stimulate areas in need of new economic activity,'' he said. The first eight zones were created in 1983 with a 20-year life. That means they were due to expire in two years. The new law lets local officials extend the zones for another decade if they want.