Committee advances bill creating 'level 3' tech park for Westgate at Crane to boost defense-sector investment

The Ways and Means Committee on Oct. 27 passed an amended version of Senate Bill 465 that would create a new "level 3" technology park designation intended to provide greater incremental tax-financing capacity for Westgate at Crane, a defense‑focused research and industrial park anchored by NSA Crane.

Representative Lynn Dower, presenting the bill, said SB 465 is "very similar to House Bill 1615" and would add a third level of tech-park financing. He summarized current limits: "level 1 can capture up to $5,000,000 in incremental tax financing. Level 2 can go an additional $2.50. What we would like to do... is create a level 3 tech park." He said the bill as introduced set the level‑3 incremental figure at an additional $10,000 and that an amendment (amendment number 2) would put…