A 1.5% payroll tax break for companies moving to San Francisco’s Mid-Market neighborhood is getting mixed reviews.
What became known as the Twitter tax break has boosted business activity in the area, but may have also accelerated the area’s problems, according to a report by the San Francisco Chronicle.
The city’s chief economist says that between 2010 and 2017, Mid-Market produced $6 million more in payroll and gross receipts taxes and added $750,000 in sales taxes to the city’s general fund than it would have if it grew at the same rate as the rest of the city.
In that period, 59 new companies large enough to have to report their payrolls to the city either moved to, or were created in, Mid-Market. The number of retailers grew by 3% in the neighborhood while declining by 1% citywide. The cost to the city was $70 million in lost tax revenue.
The negatives:
— Gentrification has led to higher housing costs and the growth of the district’s homeless population by 1,600 people between 2011 and 2017
— Drug dealing has increased in the neighborhood
— Some companies have failed to follow through on promises they made to aid non-profit organizations in the neighborhood
— Retail vacancies continue to plague the district’s main street
The tax break faces a May 20 expiration, and the consensus is that the city no longer needs to give major tech companies targeted tax breaks, the Chronicle reports.
Related Stories
| May 1, 2013
AAMA publishes standard for multipoint locking hardware for side-hinged doors
The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) recently published the first North America standard for multipoint locking hardware for side-hinged door systems.
| Apr 24, 2013
‘W visa’ program could hamper construction industry's growth
The Senate’s bipartisan immigration reform proposal will provide interim legal status to some 11 million undocumented people.
| Apr 24, 2013
North Carolina bill would ban green rating systems that put state lumber industry at disadvantage
North Carolina lawmakers have introduced state legislation that would restrict the use of national green building rating programs, including LEED, on public projects.
| Apr 24, 2013
BOMA’s 360 Performance Program approaches 600 building designees
The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International conferred the BOMA 360 Performance Program® designation upon 44 properties in major commercial real estate markets across the U.S. in the first quarter of 2013.
| Apr 24, 2013
New Mexico court strikes down move to repeal energy codes
The New Mexico State Court of Appeals struck down an attempt to repeal energy-efficient building codes.
| Apr 24, 2013
Los Angeles may add cool roofs to its building code
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa wants cool roofs added to the city’s building code. He is also asking the Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to create incentives that make it financially attractive for homeowners to install cool roofs.
| Apr 17, 2013
Army's FY 2014 $130 billion budget includes $2.3 billion for construction
The U.S. Army submitted a $129.7 billion budget for fiscal year 2014, $2.3 billion of which is allocated for military construction, army family housing, and base realignment and closure.
| Apr 17, 2013
Leonardo Academy to develop sustainability master plan standard
Leonardo Academy launched the development of a standard for sustainability master plans using the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) process to define sustainability goals and achievements for regions, states and campuses.
| Apr 17, 2013
Fenestration Council allows some shading system, dynamic glazing to be rated for U-Factor
The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) approved changes to its NFRC 100 and NFRC 200 standards, allowing certain shading devices to be rated for U-factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient.
| Apr 17, 2013
LEED 2009 quarterly interpretations, addenda now available
Quarterly interpretations and addenda to the LEED 2009 rating systems and reference guides are now available.