SB 390 - This act establishes the Aerotropolis Trade Incentive and Tax Credit Act, which authorizes the City of St. Louis or any county to designate certain areas as gateway zones. Any such municipality that designates an area as a gateway zone will be required to establish a board of supervisors that will annually levy special assessments on facilities located within the zone which receive benefits provided under the act. Revenues derived from the special assessments will be expended to promote and advertise the gateway zone. For all taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2011, the act authorizes air export tax credits for freight forwarders in an amount equal to twenty-five cents per chargeable kilo shipped on a qualifying outbound flight. In lieu of the previously mentioned tax credit, a freight forwarder will be entitled to an air export tax credit equal to thirty cents per chargeable kilo if the shipment contains perishable freight. The department of economic development is required to adjust the tax credit amounts based upon fluctuations in fuel costs for over-the-road transportation. In order to receive air export tax credits, freight forwarders must file an application with the department containing the master airway bill for the shipment. The act requires the department to establish procedures to allow freight forwarders to receive air export tax credits within five business days of the departure of the qualifying flight.
The total amount of air export tax credits which may be authorized under the act cannot exceed sixty million dollars. The act establishes fiscal year caps on issuance of air export tax credits, and to the extent that in any given fiscal year more tax credits are authorized than may be issued, the amount in excess of the cap on issuance will be carried forward for issuance in the following fiscal year. The authorization of air export tax credits is prohibited after January 1, 2019, but the act allows for the subsequent issuance of any tax credits which are authorized prior to such date.
For all taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2013, any tenant or entity operating within an eligible facility which satisfies the requirements of the act will be entitled to an exemption from state income and corporate franchise taxes for a period of up to seven years. Such a tenant or entity will also be entitled to retain fifty percent of employee withholding taxes for a period of up to seven years.
For all taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2013, owners of qualified facilities, in which at least sixty percent of the total cargo activity consists of international cargo, will be entitled to receive tax credits over a seven-year period equal to five percent of the eligible costs of such facility. The total amount of tax credits issued to such an owner cannot exceed twenty-five percent of the facility's eligible costs. Owners of qualified facilities, in which at least thirty percent of the total cargo activity consists of international cargo, as well as any qualifying assembly and manufacturing, or qualifying cold-chain facility will be entitled to receive tax credits over a seven-year period equal to three percent of the eligible costs of such facility. The total amount of tax credits issued to such an owner cannot exceed fifteen percent of the facility's eligible costs. Owners of eligible facilities will also be entitled to receive tax credits, over a three-year period, equal to seventy-five percent of interest costs on qualifying loans obtained for the development and construction of eligible facilities, provided the interest rate on such loan is equal to or less than seven percent per year.
In order to receive tax incentives provided under the act, owners and tenants of qualifying facilities and entities operating within such facilities must file applications with the department of economic development accompanied by a certificate of compliance. The act establishes limits on the amount of tax credits which may be issued annually to owners of qualifying facilities. No more than three hundred million dollars in tax credits, based upon the eligible costs of a qualifying facility, may be authorized for owners of qualified facilities under the act. The act limits the total amount of tax credits which may be authorized to owners of qualifying facilities, based upon loans, to no more than one hundred twenty million dollars.
All tax credits provided under the act will be fully transferrable and non-refundable, but may be carried forward up to six years.
The provisions of the act will automatically sunset six years from the effective date of the act unless reauthorized.
JASON ZAMKUS