Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Counties work business incentives
Broward, Palm Beach building packages for relocating firms
Economic incentives are on the agenda next week for the Broward and Palm Beach county commissions.
Both groups are conducting meetings on Tuesday to discuss incentives for companies that are considering relocating elsewhere.
In Palm Beach County, economic development officials are recommending approval of $450,000 in state and local incentives over six years for an “emergency response systems” company based in Boca Raton. Of this amount, $360,000 would be from the state and $90,000 from Boca Raton and Palm Beach County, according to county documents.
That company could be MobileHelp, developer of a personal emergency device. MobileHelp is considering moving operations to Alabama, according to an item on the Palm Beach County Commission agenda.
If it stays in Florida, the company has said it would invest $3.6 million to improve its existing office and create 150 new jobs over three years with an average annual wage of about $53,300, according to the county. It would retain 198 existing jobs.
MobileHelp’s CEO Rob Flippo could not be reached for comment on Thursday.
Commissioners also are slated to revoke incentives awarded to Sikorsky Aircraft near Jupiter, following termination of the helicopter company’s economic incentive agreement. Sikorsky’s owner, Lockheed Martin, said in late July that it plans to close its assembly operation at the campus it shares with Pratt & Whitney and lay off about 500 — nearly half of the employees at the Palm Beach County site.
Sikorsky was paid $600,000 in incentives in 2012, based on its $10.3 million investment in the Palm Beach County site and confirmed creation of 81 jobs, according to the state’s economic incentives portal. The state deactivated its contract on Aug. 3.
In Broward County, commissioners are expected to consider $100,000 in state and local incentives for an “aviation training and service provider” that is looking to expand.
Besides Broward, the company also is considering locations in Texas and Utah, according to county documents. The state would pay $80,000 and the county $20,000
If it were to expand in Broward, the company would make an investment of $4.5 million for construction of a new building on airport property owned by the county. The company would create 20 new jobs with an average annual wage of more than $55,000, according to the agenda item.