Oklahoma
State Senate
Communications Division
State Capitol
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
For Immediate Release: March 10, 2009
Sen. Mike Mazzei
Senate Approves ‘21st Century Quality Jobs’
Legislation
Legislation using targeted incentives to attract
top-paying jobs to Oklahoma has won approval in the State Senate.
Senator Mike
Mazzei, R-Tulsa, is the author of Senate Bill 938 which creates
the “21st Century Quality Jobs” program. The measure
was approved unanimously on Tuesday.
The original Quality Jobs program approved in 1993 has created
more than 400,000 new jobs in Oklahoma with an average wage of
more than $31,000 a year. Mazzei said that program will remain
unchanged, explaining that the 21st Century Quality Jobs program
targets knowledge-based employment opportunities.
“21st Century Quality Jobs focuses on areas such as scientific
and technical services, finance and insurance, as well as health
care and alternative energy,” Mazzei said. “These
are jobs that have an average salary of more than $100,000 a year.
This would not only increase per capita income in our state, but
it would also diversify Oklahoma’s economy.”
Under Mazzei’s legislation, companies creating the jobs
specified in SB 938 would be eligible to receive a quarterly cash
rebate of up to 10 percent of new taxable payroll if they achieve
wage and performance job creation targets. According to the Oklahoma
Tax Commission, the incentive program would be revenue neutral.
The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for further
consideration.
For more information contact:
Sen. Mazzei's Office: 405-521-5675
