Between 2004 and 2008, Economic Development (ED) produced a printed, quarterly newsletter called The Isle of Wight Pages. Well, a few things have changed since then – staff members, the economy and technology. So, we’re changing too. In an effort to stay connected with our existing businesses and development allies, we’d like to introduce you to the first issue of our email newsletter. Our goal is to keep you informed about what’s going on Inside the Isle by featuring local businesses, available properties, and other important developments. Keep Reading. We hope you like it!
ISLE OF WIGHT—In 2009, commercial real estate tax revenue made up only 15 percent of the real estate taxes collected in Isle of Wight County.
That could soon change if the Board of Supervisors approves an economic development incentive policy.
The proposed incentives include review fee waivers, an expedited review process, connection/tap fee reinvestment, proffer flexibility, an economic development incentive grant, the establishment of a community development authority, the establishment of a tax increment financing district and other incentives the board deems appropriate.
On April 30, George F. Hasty made the long walk off the grounds of International Paper’s Isle of Wight paper mill for the last time. Just days before, he was offered a job as a machinist at Northrop Grumman Corp.’s Newport News shipyard.
Hasty is one of 133 former IP workers the shipyard hired in the wake of the mill closing. Ninety-four of those workers have started their jobs. The remaining 39 will begin in the coming months.
The Newport News shipyard, which Decker said receives between 8,000 and 10,000 electronic job applications a month, was so impressed by the quality of the IP workers that it set up a separate database to capture their applications to be sure each one was reviewed.
