Anderson economic development funds tight

Anderson officials fear they will lose an economic development prospect because tax constraints imposed by the Legislature have crimped the amount of incentives the city can offer.

Mayor Kris Okomon mentioned the shortfall in a recent political meeting, saying the city might lose the competition for a foreign alternative energy company.

Linda Dawson, who leads economic development for Anderson, said the city needs to boosts its incentive package by about 20 percent to be competitive.

However, caps on taxes that can be levied by cities and towns have forced Anderson to tighten the package.

“It’s either firefighters, police service, or bring a new company in, Dawson said. “It becomes a prioritizing nightmare.”