Sanyo Solar to Build Solar Ingot Factory in Salem – How About Bend?

The three newspaper articles below clearly report that, although generous incentives were major selling points, other key reasons for Sanyo Solar of Oregon to build their plant near Salem were “relatively cheap power and a good, affordable work force”.  Bend / Central Oregon can claim the same advantages.

Sanyo chose about 20 acres of vacant city-owned property at 5475 Gaffin Road SE for its new plant. Salem wants to turn 79 acres along Gaffin Road into a renewable energy and technology park.

City and economic development officials hope the solar cell plant will encourage other energy companies and their suppliers to locate here.  At a special meeting of Salem City Council , councilors approved a ground lease and purchase agreement with Sanyo for the Gaffin Road location. Sanyo will pay about $1.74 million for the 19.77 acres.

Councilors also signed off on enterprise zone tax breaks for Sanyo, which provide tax abatement on new construction and equipment. They agreed to extend the standard three-year enterprise zone tax break to five years.

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Enterprise Zones May Boost Central Oregon’s High Desert Economy

‘Enterprise zones’ may boost High Desert economy
By Tony Fuller – KTVZ.com – April 30, 2008

Property tax breaks can lure more business – and jobs

It’s something we all like to hear, two words: tax break!

For major manufacturers and trade sector employers, it could be exactly what they want to hear when they plan on bringing their company to Central Oregon.

Take companies like T-mobile for example, which qualified for an “enterprise zone” in Redmond, which gives them a break on property taxes. Now the company has become a major employer in the region.

So by designating three new areas throughout the region, as the state did this week, in five or 10 years, hundreds, even thousands of jobs could be on the way.

It’s one of the oldest and frequently used programs in the state.  A tax break that jumps starts economic development in rural areas like, in this case, La Pine, the Bend Airport and Crook County.