Digital media gets tax credit

GANNETT STATE BUREAU

A measure touted by Gov. Jon S. Corzine's administration as a way to revive the state's struggling cities by offering large tax breaks to companies making capital investments near train stations breezed through the Legislature Monday.

A late addition to the bills that sped through the lame-duckLegislature, Corzine's economic growth chief, Gary Rose, has said the measure, a pilot program in nine cities, would spur business development, which is key to jump starting the state's economy. The tax breaks require a $75 million investment to qualify and would equal the investment.

Some lawmakers, saying they agree with the theory, have griped about how the cities were chosen. The administration has said cities were chosen if they have commuter rail stops and met other economic criteria. One of those factors was removed last week, which added Hoboken to the other cities: Camden, East Orange, Elizabeth, Jersey City, Newark, New Brunswick, Paterson and Trenton.

"It's arbitrary which cities are in and what cities are out," Sen. Paul Sarlo, D-Bergen, said.

Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow, R-Hunterdon, complained that reviving towns like Hoboken, Jersey City and New Brunswick were included while rural towns and struggling cities like Atlantic City and Asbury Park weren't.

The measure passed 28-8 in the Senate and 53-22, with two abstentions in the Assembly.

Bill sponsor Senate President Richard J. Codey, D-Essex, said in a statement, "This bill will help break the logjam that often occurs in urban redevelopment and stimulate sizeable job growth."

Other bills relating to business and labor the Legislature passed Monday would:

Expand a relocation tax credit to include moves of 50 jobs or more, rather than the current threshold of 250 jobs, at a potential cost to the state of $16 million a year.

Provide up to $10 million in annual tax credits to companies that produce digital media in New Jersey.

Restore the sales tax exemption for small businesses within urban enterprise zones, which currently have to apply for tax rebates from the state as part of a program the state instituted to deter fraud.

Create a new 'instructional winemaking facility license' for facilities that teach winemaking.

Make it unlawful for employers to discriminate against employees based on their religious practices, such as forcing people to work on the Sabbath or other days they consider holy.

Allow sales representatives terminated from their jobs to sue former employers for triple damages if they're not paid any earned commissions within 30 days.

Public utility contractors must pay any employees the prevailing wage earned by union workers statewide.