El Paso County Commissioners on Thursday reviewed a substantially revised economic development policy that consolidates separate incentive programs into a single document and adds new grant funds, targeted investment zones and bonus incentives. The policy sets the county's median-wage standard as the expectation for jobs created by incentive recipients, but commissioners directed staff to retain case-by-case flexibility and build firm upscaling requirements when lower-wage proposals are considered.

County Economic Development Director Roberto Ransom briefed commissioners on the draft policy, which folds the county's Chapter 3.12 tax abatement policy and Chapter 3.81 tax rebate rules into one streamlined document and adds a new strategic grant fund for small and historic preservation projects. "Should we bring these opportunities forward to commissioner's court, for your consideration, even if they fall short on the wage requirement?" Ransom asked. He said county staff would collect payroll distributions in applications and bring detailed wage information to the court for any exception requests.

Why it matters: Commissioners repeatedly said the county should not subsidize low wage jobs, but several members also warned that a hard rejection rule could cost the county large projects that otherwise create many jobs and broader economic activity. The court asked for an explicit process that balances wage standards with pragmatic recruiting needs and partner contributions.

Most important points
- Baseline wage requirement: The draft requires that "all new jobs created must meet or exceed the county's median wage of $18.21," a figure staff said will be updated annually using Bureau of Labor Statistics data (Christian Martinez, Economic Development). Commissioners endorsed the median wage as the policy floor but asked for an exceptions clause and implementation guidance.
- Case-by-case exception with conditions: Commissioners directed staff to bring any lead that does not meet the wage minimum to the court for review and to require: (a) evidence of broader economic benefits, (b) a plan to increase wages over a defined period, and (c) reduced incentive amounts if the wage threshold is not met. Several commissioners recommended a stair-stepped incentive tied to wage improvements.
- New grant fund and targeting: Staff proposes a strategic grant fund (20% of the Economic Impact Fund) split among medium/small/micro business grants and historic-preservation grants. The court agreed the new sub-fund should roll over unspent dollars year-to-year rather than returning immediately to the primary fund.
- Tenant and build-to-suit incentives: The draft adds eligibility for real-property incentives to tenants (including built-to-suit) in addition to property owners, subject to documentation that tenants pay taxes or improvements; commissioners asked staff for options on limiting or expanding eligibility for vacant buildings versus new construction.
- Historic preservation and targeted zones: The policy updates investment zones (downtown, Mission Trail, Alameda corridor, East Montana, etc.) and makes preservation grants countywide with an equity-minded approach to precinct representation.
- Bonus incentives and caps: Staff proposed bonus points (2.5% per qualifying category) for climate-conscious development, childcare, community stewardship and employee benefits. Commissioners favored shorter bonus terms and a cap (direction: maximum 10 years total for combined bonus incentives) and asked for 5-year reviews and stricter scrutiny of claimed benefits.

What commissioners directed staff to do
- Keep the county median wage as the basic eligibility standard but retain a formal exceptions process where commissioners review lower-wage proposals with a required employer plan to raise wages over time. Commissioners asked staff to codify a percentage test (examples discussed: 90'95% of jobs at or above median) and recapture provisions.
- Establish a strategic grant fund as a sub-fund of the Economic Impact Fund; allow unused amounts to remain in that sub-account and be reallocated in subsequent cycles.
- Cap combined bonus incentives at 10 years and require periodic review (suggested 5-year check-ins) and tougher documentation for benefits that earn bonus points.
- Provide clear application templates showing wage distributions, national/other-market wage comparisons, benefits packages, and specific upscaling milestones for any exception requests.

Context and next steps: Staff said a legal review is ongoing and the policy will return for final adoption and a public awareness campaign. Staff will incorporate the court's direction on wage exceptions, bonus terms and tenant incentives, then return with a final draft and implementation schedule.

Quotes (from the record)
- "Should we bring these opportunities forward to commissioner's court, for your consideration, even if they fall short on the wage requirement?" — Roberto Ransom, Director, El Paso County Economic Development (first referenced in transcript at 2417.79).
- "All new jobs created must meet or exceed the county's median wage of $18.21." — Christian Martinez, Economic Development Manager (first referenced in transcript at 2731.08).

Ending: Commissioners praised the rewrite for clarity and asked for additional application requirements to support accountable decisions. Staff will return with a revised draft that incorporates the court's requested exception criteria, grant fund rules, and bonus-incentive caps.