Transparency * Accountability
* Public Interest *
“WHEREAS, the Industrial Development Corporations Act, at Chapter 209 of the Public Acts of 1955, states that the declared purpose of the Act is to do that which the state welfare demands and the state public policy requires to alleviate the problems of unemployment, to raise family income, to provide a means by which the citizens of the community may promote and develop industry in their area so as to obtain a balanced economic development highly essential to the welfare of the state…”
OVERVIEW & PURPOSE
The “Do Better” Law (BL2017-983) unanimously passed Council on January 2, 2018. The law enables Council to assess whether cash grants and payments in lieu of taxes authorized by the Industrial Development Board serve the public interest.
To accomplish this, the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Community Development (ECD) must provide Council with a project proposal from the company seeking an incentive with information on jobs, workforce development, and safety and wage violations prior to Council votes on incentives.
PROJECT PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
- Type and number of temporary and permanent jobs that will be created, and how many will be filled by Davidson County residents;
- A workforce plan disclosing if temporary or staffing agencies, the Nashville Career Advancement Center, or other third parties will be used on the project, whether workers will be directly employed by the company or by subcontractors or other third parties, and the wages and benefits offered for the identified jobs;
- Whether the project will use apprentices from programs certified by the U.S. Department of Labor;
- Safety violations and wage actions against the company, or any contractor or subcontractor retained on the project for the preceding 7 years.
The project proposal will be included in the incentive agreement upon approval of Council.
VERIFICATION
- The qualified company will provide quarterly reports to ECD to ensure the public interest is being served by the incentive award.
- The ECD will provide an annual report to Council relaying compliance data.
- If the qualified company fails to comply with its incentive agreement, then Council can decide to suspend or terminate the incentive with at least 21 votes.
