Utilities

The municipally owned McPherson Board of Public Utilities is both the electric and water supplier for the city. The McPherson BPU provides the lowest cost electric power in the State of Kansas, and has virtually unlimited capacity. Through an interconnect agreement with Westar Energy, BPU’s customers have the benefit of stable, competitive rates. Recent renewal of the contract extends this advantage through the year 2039.

Population

Workforce

Another crucial factor in McPherson's industrial success is its workforce, which company executives consistently cite as one of the city's strongest assets. Many of the city's workers are McPherson natives and products of a public school system that ranks higher than the state and national averages. The workforce also benefits from McPherson College and Central Christian College, which produce high-quality graduates whose skill sets dovetail perfectly with the needs of local manufacturers. While it is difficult to quantify a concept such as pride, business leaders routinely comment on the commitment and dedication of their employees as one of the city's selling points.

Education

Test experts predict that with more students taking a nationally-normed test, such as the ACT, composite scores are expected to DECREASE. To the contrary, McPherson's overall scores have actually INCREASED. In fact, McPherson has significantly outpaced the state and national gains over the past 20 years.

Transportation

McPherson is located near the geographic center of Kansas and of the contiguous United States. Interstate 135 intersects U.S. Highway 56 at McPherson; and Interstate 70 is just 35 miles north via I-135. 

Incentives

McPherson Industry Development Incentives

Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRB's) are among the most popular and cost-efficient methods of financing a new or expanding company's land, building, and equipment. In 1960 the Kansas Legislature approved, by statute, the use of IRB financing, including a restricted eligibility for property tax exemption on capital investment. McPherson and McPherson County governments were among the first to capitalize on the use of these instruments to originate and grow a strong, diversified industrial base. In 1986 the people of Kansas voted to amend the Kansas Constitution to provide the incentive of a restricted property tax exemption without the requirement of an industrial revenue bond financing. Again McPherson/McPherson County recognized and implemented policies regarding this incentive to further strengthen the area's economic base. Over sixty businesses in the McPherson area have benefitted from these programs.

SITE LOCATION ASSISTANCE

The Business Recruitment Team for the Kansas Department of Commerce can assist you with various site location needs. Whether you're seeking buildings or sites, our team has the resources and information to help you make an informed decision.

Our Business Recruitment Team creates customized incentive proposals for clients based on capital investment, job creation, employee salaries and each company's unique needs. We also coordinate with community economic development professionals for local incentives such as discounted building and land purchases, reduced property taxes, build-to-suit agreements and finance packages. All types of assistance offered for new company locations are also available for subsequent expansions.

FINANCE PROGRAMS

Promoting Employment Across Kansas (PEAK) – This program offers qualified companies the ability to retain 95 percent of their payroll withholding tax for up to five to seven years. PEAK is available to new operations in Kansas as well as relocated operations to the state. In 2013, it will be available for qualifying business retention projects as well. Companies need to create at least 10 new jobs within two years in metropolitan areas or five new jobs within two years in all other counties of the state. High-impact projects that create 100 new jobs within two years can retain 95 percent of payroll withholding tax for up to seven to 10 years. The number of years that the withholding tax can be retained depends on how much the annual median or average wage of the jobs at the Kansas worksite will exceed the current county median wage and the discretion of the Secretary of the Kansas Department of Commerce.

Wind and Solar Bond Financing – This allows for up to $5 million in bond financing per project for eligible wind and solar energy manufacturers. The bonds are paid off from the payroll withholding tax of the new jobs. To qualify, a project must create at least 200 new jobs within five years, pay at least a $32,500 average salary and generate a minimum capital investment of $30 million.

Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRBs) – Industrial Revenue Bonds are a popular method of financing up to 100 percent of a growing business’ land, building and equipment. IRBs are securities issued by cities and counties to provide funds for creditworthy companies to acquire land, construct and equip new facilities or remodel and expand existing facilities. IRBs allow fixed-rate financing for the life of the bond for the project.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) – Eligible small city and county governments may apply for Community Development Block Grant economic development funds to make water, sewer, rail spur, roadway or other infrastructure improvements designed to assist companies in creating jobs. These funds may also be used by a business to acquire land or buildings, construct or renovate facilities, purchase machinery and equipment or for working capital. Under this program, companies can apply for up to $35,000 per job created with a maximum limit of $750,000. At least 51 percent of the jobs created with CDBG funding must be held by individuals who, at the time of hire, meet the low- to moderate-income guidelines for the county location.

Infrastructure funding requires that half of the funding be paid back over a 10-year period at a rate of 2 percent. Financing for working capital, equipment and real property carries a fixed rate equal to four percent or 3 percent below prime, whichever is greater, set on the award date. The term of the loan depends on the type of assets being financed: working capital up to five years, equipment up to 10 years and real property up to 15 years.

Partnership Fund – The Department provides low-interest state funds to cities and counties for infrastructure improvements that support Kansas basic enterprises such as manufacturing and distribution. Eligible projects may include construction, rehabilitation or expansion of public facilities, including roads, streets, highways, water supply and treatment facilities, water distribution lines, wastewater collection lines and related improvements.

Kansas Bioscience Authority (KBA) – Commerce works in partnership with the Kansas Bioscience Authority to assist in the expansion and recruitment of bioscience companies. The KBA has direct financing programs and other resources that can be used to recruit new bioscience companies and world-class scholars, fund equipment and lab space for research and facilitate the commercialization of bioscience discoveries.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

The Department of Commerce has two workforce training programs to offset a company’s training costs. Companies creating new jobs may qualify for Kansas Industrial Training (KIT) assistance. Eligibility for either program depends on the number of jobs created and the corresponding wages. We also have the Kansas Industrial Retraining (KIR) program to retrain a Kansas company’s existing workforce on new technology or production activities. Projects involving a Kansas Basic Industry – which includes manufacturing, distribution or regional/national service facilities – may qualify for these programs.

Both of these programs offer direct financial assistance to pay a negotiated portion of the costs to train a company’s employees. Companies may apply the assistance toward items such as instructors’ salaries; meals, travel and lodging (including out-of-state or international travel); video development; textbooks and training manuals; supplies and materials; temporary training facilities and curriculum planning and development.

INCOME TAX INCENTIVES

High Performance Incentive Program (HPIP)
This program provides a 10 percent corporate income tax credit on the qualified capital investment of an eligible company. Qualified capital investment can include such items as the purchase or lease of a facility or equipment, remodeling or build-out costs, fixtures, furniture and computers. Equipment transferred to Kansas from out-of-state is also credited at the original acquisition cost. The ten percent tax credit is awarded to companies that operate an eligible business, pay above-average wages and invest in employee training. The credits can be used to significantly reduce a company’s corporate income tax liability in a given year. Credits must be used within a consecutive 16-year period. The minimum investment threshold to qualify for HPIP is $1 million for urban counties of Douglas, Johnson, Sedgwick, Shawnee and Wyandotte. For all other counties, the minimum investment threshold is $50,000.

A key component of the HPIP is the completion of the Project Description form, which must be submitted to the Department of Commerce prior to the company signing any document, such as a lease or purchase agreement, which commits the company to locating or expanding in Kansas.

PROPERTY TAX INCENTIVES

Machinery and Equipment Property Tax Exemption - Commercial and industrial machinery and equipment acquired by qualified purchase or lease or transferred into the state is exempt from state and local property tax. The exemption pertains to machinery and equipment used in the expansion of an existing facility or the establishment of a new facility. The exemption covers machinery and equipment used in manufacturing or warehousing/distribution, commercial equipment, computers, desks and chairs, copiers and fax machines.

Property Tax Abatement
Cities or counties may exempt real property from ad valorem taxation. The tax abatement can include all or any portion of the appraised buildings, land and improvements. A total or partial tax abatement may be in effect for up to 10 years after the calendar year in which the business commences its operations. Any property tax abatement is the decision of the city or county.

SALES TAX EXEMPTIONS

Sales Tax Exemptions available include:

• Labor services related to original construction
• Remodeling costs, furnishings, furniture, machinery and equipment for qualified projects
• New machinery and equipment for manufacturing and distribution. This also includes pre- and post-production machinery and equipment, including raw material handling, waste storage, water purification and oil cleaning, as well as ancillary property such as gas pipes, electrical wiring and pollution control equipment
• Tangible personal property that becomes an ingredient or component part of a finished product
• Tangible personal property that is immediately consumed in the production process, including electric power, natural gas and water
• Incoming and outgoing interstate telephone or transmission services (WATTS)

Real and personal property financed with an Industrial Revenue Bond (IRB)

OTHER TAX INCENTIVES AND BUSINESS INITIATIVES

Machinery & Equipment Expensing Deduction
Effective January 1, 2012, Kansas taxpayers will be allowed to claim an expense deduction for business machinery and equipment, placed in service in Kansas during the tax year. The one-time deduction is allowed for each qualified purchase of machinery and equipment in the year that it is placed in service. Unused expense deduction is treated as a Kansas net operating loss that may be carried forward for 10 years. Eligible investment is machinery and equipment depreciable under the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS) in section 168 of the Internal Revenue Code, or canned software as defined in section 197 of the Internal Revenue Code. Examples of eligible equipment include manufacturing equipment, office furniture, computers, software and racking.

Right-to-Work State – Union membership is well below the national average.

Inventory Tax Exemption – All merchant and manufacturers’ inventories are exempt from property taxes.

Research Tax Credit – Kansas offers an income tax credit equal to 6.5 percent of a company’s investment in research and development above an expenditure of the previous three-year period. Twenty-five percent of the allowable annual credit may be claimed in any one year.

No Local Income Taxes – Kansas cities and counties do not impose income or earnings taxes on personal or corporate income.

No Kansas Franchise Tax – Kansas phased out its franchise tax in 2011.

Workers’ Compensation – The Kansas workers’ compensation program has undergone major changes over the past few years which has resulted in our premium rates being ranked 9th lowest in the U.S. 

Rural Opportunity Zones Program
Rural Opportunity Zones (ROZs) are designed to reverse dramatic population declines over the past decade in rural areas of Kansas. The program is to spur economic development in and expand job growth in 50 counties around the state. The program will take 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 forgiveness of up to $3,000 per year ($15,000 maximum benefit) for individuals who graduate from an accredited post-secondary institution and move to a ROZs county. The student loan forgiveness portion of the program is a county-state partnership, and counties must opt in to participate.

KANSAS QUICK FACTS

Kansas Education

• Kansas has one of the most educated and skilled labor pools in the nation as evidenced by the state’s commitment to education spending which is 12th best in the nation.
• Kansas ranks 15th in the nation for percent of adults, 25 and over, with a high school education and 16th for percent of adults with a college degree.
• Our educated labor force works at a very competitive rate, which makes our state’s cost of doing business nearly 25 percent below the most expensive state. Kansas has several major universities educating our future workforce: University of Kansas, Kansas State University, Wichita State University, Fort Hays State University, Pittsburg State University, Emporia State University, Washburn University and 26 community & technical colleges statewide.

Kansas Transportation

• Kansas ranks third nationally with 140,609 total road and street miles and 10,607 highway miles. Interstates 70 and 35 cross Kansas and connect with I-29, part of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) corridor. Our strategic location allows next-day freight delivery to nearly 70 percent of the U.S.
• Kansas ranks in the top 10 in the U.S. in railroad mileage with 4,776 miles of track. Four Class I and 13 Class III secondary rail carriers ensure freight service to virtually anywhere in Kansas, since the countless tons of grain grown here have for decades mandated a comprehensive rail system.
• The largest airports are Kansas City International and Wichita Mid-Continent, with multiple national and regional carriers. Eight regional airports also offer commercial air service.

Kansas Electricity, Natural Gas and Telecommunications

• Electricity costs in Kansas are below the national average supplemented by the excess electric generating reserve and transmission capacity through the three largest investor-owned companies in the state.
• Kansas is also below the national average for natural gas prices for industrial consumers. The 4,800 square-mile Hugoton Gas Field makes the state a leading natural gas exporter.
• Thanks to Kansas' central location, businesses have access to east-west and north-south major trunk lines, connecting to a nationwide fiber optic network..

Click here for a printable version of the Kansas Business Incentives.

City Services

The City of McPherson is governed by an elected Mayor and two commissioners, with the assistance of an appointed City Administrator. A comprehensive city plan has been adopted and is reviewed and updated periodically. City Zoning has also been adopted and provides for the orderly expansion of residential property, commercial, and industrial zones. The city is served well with a full complement of municipal services: