Mayes County examines proposed TIF for MidAmerica Industrial Park | Local Business News

MAIP started as a U.S. government site that developed black powder during World War II. That plant shut down in 1945, and 15 years later, a public trust called the Oklahoma Ordnance Works Authority (OOWA) was formed to spark economic growth and create jobs.

Operator of the industrial park, OOWA derives its revenues from the operation of a water plant, waste treatment plant, the sale or lease of authority properties, interest earned on investment holdings and, at certain times, loans made to industrial park tenants.

Search-engine giant Google is among the roughly 80 companies spread over about 9,000 acres at MAIP. Last year, electric car manufacturer Canoo announced plans to build a $400 million plant at the park.

Property taxes are the main source of non-grant revenue for school districts, counties, and career-tech systems, and the entities that would receive property tax revenue from development in the proposed TIF are Mayes County, Northeast Tech, Mayes County Health Department and the Chouteau-Mazie Public School District, which currently receives no benefit from the undeveloped acreage.

Only the “increment,” or increased tax revenue in a TIF, can be earmarked for economic development, which in this case would provide infrastructure such as roads, electricity and water.

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