770.333.6343 kate@katemcenroe.com

Some places give companies job creation incentives.  Some places give people incentives to move there.  Bartlesville’s Resident Recruitment program has a twist – instead of giving new or expanding companies job creation incentives, the city can offer incentives directly to employees recruited by the company who purchase or construct a home inside the city or school district limits.  The company gets an extra boost to their recruiting toolkit.  The city gets a way to urge people who work for local companies to live and spend locally.  New tax revenue,  new retail spending, new households, at a cost they estimate is no different than what they might have otherwise incurred offering tax incentives directly to the companies.  The offer has been extended to employees of three companies, expanding after a successful pilot.  Individuals who purchase a home inside the city or build a home inside the school district are offered $10,000, while those that construct a home inside the city are offered $20,000 in cash assistance, which they calculate is the same total amount that would have been awarded to the company directly based on their previous incentive programs.

You can read more about the program here