PALMDALE : State Rejects City’s Enterprise Zone Bid

The state has rejected Palmdale’s bid to be designated a California Enterprise Zone, which could have provided additional local and state tax incentives for businesses expanding or relocating in the city.

State officials said Wednesday that Palmdale and nine other applicants were passed over in favor of applications from five areas that had suffered more long-term economic hardships. The five locations selected were: Kings County, Oakland, Santa Ana, Stockton and Shasta Valley, which brings to 34 the number of sites in California selected as enterprise zones since 1986.

Palmdale’s application, which was submitted with Los Angeles County, asked the state to create an enterprise zone in the central and eastern portion of the city. Palmdale officials had hoped an enterprise zone would boost the city’s economy by creating new jobs.