SAN BERNARDINO, CA– Local business owners, CPAs, accounting staff and HR managers will have a chance to learn how to use the San Bernardino Valley Enterprise Zone’s new online vouchering system and find out what’s happening to the program in Sacramento, Tuesday, June 11. Elizabeth May, director of client services at Tax Credit Co. will lead a workshop, which will be held at the Norton Regional Event Center, 1601 East Third Street in San Bernardino from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

In a forward-thinking step to streamline the voucher application process, the zone launched the new web-based system a couple weeks ago, which now allows users to electronically file multiple vouchers with just a few clicks of their mouse–saving them time and staff resources. The workshop’s speaker, Elizabeth May, will provide step-by-step training on how the system operates, how to complete a voucher application, and how its many user-friendly features will optimize the process.

May will also discuss several pieces of legislation that may threaten the viability of enterprise zones. In a recent effort to “reshape” the program, Governor Brown’s 2013-2014 budget proposes to eliminate zones and redirect the program’s funding into three new business programs that seem to give preferential treatment to specific regions and industry sectors. May will provide information about why this legislation is being proposed and what these changes could mean to local businesses if passed.

The workshop will also provide information about SBVEZ incentives, the Employment Training Panel (ETP) program, Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), and Research and Development (R&D) tax credits available to local businesses.

Call 909.382.4538 or email sbvezmanager@gmail.com to register.

About the San Bernardino Valley Enterprise Zone
The San Bernardino Valley Enterprise Zone (SBVEZ) is one of 40 existing enterprise zones established by the California Department of Housing and Community Development to encourage investment, growth, development and job creation in economically distressed areas of the state. The enterprise zone program grants employers tax credits and incentives for pro-growth business investments that improve economic activity within designated zone areas.

SBVEZ is located in Southern California and includes the city of Colton, City of San Bernardino and unincorporated portions of San Bernardino County.  In addition to the tax incentive it offers, SBVEZ also features a highly developed network of road, rail and air transportation infrastructure, a skilled and educated workforce, affordable commercial and residential real estate, and many other pro-business programs that make the area a highly competitive location for business.