Business Briefs
Empowerment Zone designation extended
The Northern Maine Development Commission today announced that the Aroostook County Empowerment Zone (ACEZ) designation has been extended through the end of 2011. The extension was included in the Middle Class Tax Relief Act (H.R. 4853), approved by congress on Dec. 15, 2010. The extension is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2010.
The ACEZ designation provides tax incentives for businesses within its boundaries that hire local residents, as well as increased deductions for qualifying depreciable property. A tax credit of up to $3,000 can be claimed for every ACEZ resident hired. The ACEZ does not include all communities in Aroostook but a list of communities and census tracts that are included can be found on the EZ website, www.aroostookez.com.
“The extension of the Empowerment Zone is tremendous for the northern Maine business community and will provide significant positive impact to those employers who qualify for the tax incentives,” said Bob Clark, executive director of the Northern Maine Development Commission.
Walt Elish, president of the Aroostook Partnership for Progress, agreed. He noted that, “In these uncertain economic times, any tax relief that local businesses can obtain to increase their bottom line is most welcome.”
Kitchen designer receives statewide recognition
PRESQUE ISLE — Lisa Soucy, kitchen design consultant at Rathbun Lumber, has been named a winner in the 2010 Design Contest sponsored by the Maine Chapter of the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA). The winning kitchen design, created for a Presque Isle resident, was entered in the category for large kitchen, new construction, and received third-place recognition.
Soucy, a member of NKBA, is a native of Presque Isle, currently residing in Portage. She has been designing kitchens since 2003, and has managed the Rathbun Lumber Kitchen Design Department for two years. A graduate of Northern Maine Community College in 2001, Soucy hold a degree in drafting, and is currently working toward Associate Kitchen and Bath Design Certification, which she hopes to obtain in 2011.
The mission of the Maine Chapter of the NKBA is to enhance member success and excellence, promote professionalism and ethical business practices, and provide leadership and direction for its members. Soucy can be reached for kitchen and bath design consultation at Rathbun Lumber, 768-5021, or lsoucy@rathbunlumber.com.
