LR board supports state tax measure

The Little Rock Board of Directors passed a resolution Tuesday to support a state economic-development incentive to bring about 200 jobs and $3 million of investment to a west Little Rock business.

The measure, which offers local support to the state-run program, was on the board’s consent agenda and passed with little discussion. The incentive through the Arkansas Tax Back Program will be given to Fidelity National Information Services, 4001 N. Rodney Parham Road, for expansion.

“I want to make sure people know exactly what this is,” Mayor Mark Stodola said after the vote. “This would bring about 200 jobs to the city … And Fidelity is working with [Hewlett-Packard] to help locate some of those people, to relocate them into these jobs for this call center.”

Hewlett-Packard announced last week that it planned to lay off about 500 workers from its Conway facility.

The incentive would give back some of the Jacksonville, Fla.-based company’s taxes, which the company said it plans to spend on new technology, HVAC, office renovation and about $3 million in total expansion and remodeling.

Fidelity, a technology company specializing in payment processing and other bank-related issues, has had a substantial presence in Little Rock over the past decade. The company bought the former Alltel Information Systems in 2003.

Little Rock’s endorsement was necessary for the statebased incentive because some of the city’s sales and use taxes will be refunded under the incentive deal as well.