Mitchell County Joins ROZ Program

Mitchell County has recently joined a new state program to offer special incentives to people who move to our area.

On April 11, Gov. Sam Brownback signed into law the Rural Opportunity Zones (ROZs) program. The program is a central component of a broader plan by the Brownback Administration to spur economic development in and expand job growth in 50 counties around the state. The program took effect July 1, 2011.

The program has two main incentives:

--A state income tax exemption for up to five years to individuals who move to a ROZs county from outside the state. Individuals must not have lived in Kansas for the past five years, nor have Kansas source income of more than $10,000 per year over the past five years.

--Student loan foregiveness of up to $3,000 per year for individuals who graduate from an accredited post-secondary institution and move to a ROZs county.

The student loan foregiveness portion of the program is a county-state partnership, and counties must opt in to participate. Mitchell County has agreed to fund two people in the student loan program.

To apply for the Rural Opportunity Zone student loan repayment program, click here.

To request more information about the Rural Opportunity Zone program, click here to fill out a request form, or contact:

Dan Lara
Public Information Officer
Kansas Department of Commerce
dlara@kansascommerce.com
(785) 296-3760