The City of New Braunfels, TX

Texas Enterprise Zone Program:
The purpose of the Texas Enterprise Zone Program is to encourage job creation and capital investment in areas of economic distress by providing communities with an economic development tool
through which they can offer state and local incentives and program priority to new or expanding business located in
these designated areas.

Texas Leverage Fund:
The Texas Leverage Fund (TLF) is an “economic development bank” offering an added source of financing to communities that have passed the economic development sales tax. This program allows the community to make loans to local businesses for expansion or to recruit new industries.

State of Texas Industrial Revenue Bond Program:
The State of Texas Industrial Revenue Bond Program is designed to provide tax-exempt financing to finance land and depreciable property for eligible industrial or manufacturing projects. The Development Corporation Act allows cities, counties, conservation and reclamation districts to form non-profit industrial development corporations or authorities on their behalf. The purpose is to issue taxable and tax-exempt bonds for eligible projects in their jurisdictions.

Texas Linked Deposit Program:
The State of Texas Linked Deposit Program (“Linked Deposit Program”) was established to encourage lending to historically underutilized businesses, child-care providers, non-profit corporations, and/or small businesses located in an Enterprise Zone by providing lenders and borrowers a lower cost of
capital.

For further information or assistance, please contact:

Office of Economic Development and Tourism
(OEDT)
1700 N. Congress Ave.
SFA Bldg, Suite 130
Austin, TX 78711

E-Mail: finance@TDED.state.tx.us
Internet: http://www.txed.state.tx.us
Phone: 512/936-0223
FAX: 512/936-0193
Relay Texas: 800/888-0511

Local Newspapers: 2
    New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung (6 times/week)
    Canyon Lake Times-Guardian (weekly)

Out-of-Town Newspapers: 2
    San Antonio Express-News (daily)
    Austin-American Statesman (daily)

Local Radio Stations: 2
    KGNB (AM)
    KNBT (FM)
    Good reception from San Antonio

Television Stations in San Antonio:  
     ABC, CBS, NBC and KLRN
    Good reception from San Antonio

Cable Television:
    Guadalupe Valley Telephone Cooperative
    Time Warner Cable
           
Telephone Service:
    AT&T
   Guadalupe Valley Telephone Cooperative


Post Office (Class): A

Demographics For New Braunfels and Comal County

The U. S. Census Population Estimates for the 100 Fastest Growing U.S. Counties with 10,000 or more population in 2006 (based on population from  April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006) ranks Comal County  # 56 (previously # 69) and Hays County # 34 (previously # 35).  This information was released in a press release issued on March 22, 2007.  To view this information clink on the following link to access the information.  http://www.census.gov/popest/counties/CO-EST2006-08.html 

County	July 1, 2007	July 1, 2006	April 1, 2000 Estimates Base	% Change,  '00 to '07
Comal	105,187	101,181	78,021	26%
Hays	133,151	130,325	97,576	26%
Guadalupe	112,777	107,684	89,880	20%

The U. S. Census Bureau released the following population estimates for 2006 in a press release issued on June 28 2007.  These figures show the steady, continued growth of New Braunfels and surrounding cities. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Summary File 1 (SF 1) and Summary File 3 (SF 3)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 3, Matrices H1, H7, H20, H23, H24, H30, H34, H38, H40, H43, H44, H48, H51, H62, H63, H69, H74, H76, H90, H91, and H94

Ethnic Distribution of the Population (2000)
New Braunfels and Comal County

2000 Census	Black	Hispanic	White
New Braunfels	1.4%	34.5%	64.1%
Comal County	.9%	22.6%	76.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Summary File 1 (SF 1) and Summary File 3 (SF 3)

Census Population Comparison Data
New Braunfels and Comal County

Population Data	1970	1980	1990	2000
New Braunfels	17,859	22,402	27,334	36,494
Comal County	24,165	36,446	51,832	78,021

Source:  U. S. Census Reports

Total Population and Age
Distribution of Population, 1990 and 2000
For Selected Cities and Counties 
      

	City of New Braunfels				Comal County
	2000	1990	% Change		2000	1990	% Change
Population	36,494	27,334	33.5%		78,021	51,832	50.5%
Under 18	25.7%	26.7%			25.5%	25.6%
18 and over	74.3%	73.3%			74.5%	74.4%
65 and over	16.9%	18.0%			14.8%	16.3%
Males	47.9%	47.2%			49.0%	48.7%
Females	52.1%	52.3%			51.0%	51.3%
	Guadalupe County				Hays County
	2000	1990		% Change	2000	1990	% Change
Population	89,023	64,873		37.2%	97,589	65,614	48.7%
Under 18	28.5%	28.5%			24.5%	24.4%
18 and over	71.5%	72.2%			75.5%	75.6%
65 and over	11.3%	12.0%			7.7%	7.9%
Males	49.2	49.4%			50.3%	50.2%
Females	50.8	50.6%			49.7%	49.8%

 Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1990 Census of Population and Housing, Summary Tape File 1 (100% Data) Matrices P1, P3, P5, P6, P8, P11, P15, P16, P23, H1, H2, H3, H5, H8, H10, H18A, H21, H23, H23B, H32, H32B, H41.
  

   Economic Indicators for June 2008

# Building Permits - City	June. 2008	June. 2007	%±	Jan. - June.  2008	Jan. - June. 2007	%±
Single Family	29	70	-58.6%	283	354	-20.1%
Multi Family	2	16	-87.5%	4	21	-81.0%
Com, Ind, & Prof Bldg	36	10	260.0%	126	95	32.6%
All Other Permits	91	87	4.6%	637	566	12.5%
Total Permits	158	183	-13.7%	1,050	1,036	1.4%
Value Bldg Permits - City	June. 2008	June. 2007	%±	Jan. - June.  2008	Jan. - June. 2007	%±
Single Family	3,936,100	$9,936,720	-60.4%	39,199,582	$48,909,974	-19.9%
Multi Family	299,145	2,561,790	-88.3%	671,800	3,250,790	-79.3%
Com, Ind, & Prof Bldg	7,989,900	464,539	100.0%	44,733,391	39,603,619	13.0%
All Other Permits	937,134	865,045	8.3%	24,847,278	5,558,690	347.0%
Total Permits	$13,162,279	$13,828,094	-4.8%	$109,452,051	$97,323,073	12.5%
# Building Permits - County	June. 2008	June. 2007	%±	Jan. - June.  2008	Jan. - June. 2007	%±
Single Family	64	86	-25.6%	393	548	-28.3%
Multi Family	0	0	0.0%	0	0	0.0%
Com, Ind, & Prof Bldg	4	0	100.0%	8	9	-11.1%
All Other Permits	0	1	-100.0%	0	17	-100.0%
Total Permits	68	87	-21.8%	401	574	-30.1%
Value Bldg. Permits - County	June. 2008	June. 2007	%±	Jan. - June.  2008	Jan. - June. 2007	%±
Single Family	$11,590,000	$23,294,900	-50.2%	$91,725,219	$124,287,930	-26.2%
Multi Family	0	0	0.0%	0	0	0.0%
Com, Ind, & Prof Bldg	1,187,000	0	100.0%	2,027,000	2,429,715	-16.6%
Value All Others	0	200,000	-100.0%	0	1,822,500	-100.0%
Total Value	$12,777,000	$23,494,900	-45.6%	$93,752,219	$128,540,145	-27.1%
City Sales Tax Collections	June. 2008	June. 2007	%±	Jan. - June.  2008	Jan. - June. 2007	%±
(Represents sales in May)	$1,370,605	$1,388,910	-1.32%	$9,745,415	$9,230,435	5.58%
				(Includes 7 month State's reporting year)
County Sales Tax Collections
(Represents sales in May)	$616,781	$623,742	-1.12%	$4,287,008	$4,068,743	5.36%
				(Includes 7 month State's reporting year)
				Visitor Inquiries as of 06/31/08
Utilities (Total Customers)	June. 2008	June. 2007	%±	Jan. - June.  2008	Jan. - June. 2007	%±
Electric, NBU	28,144	28,866	-2.50%	2,287,185	1,629,765	40.34%
Electric, PEC	22,696	21,887	3.70%
Gas*	7,719	8,920	-13.46%
Water, NBU	21,542	20,624	4.45%
Employment in Comal County	June. 2008	June. 2007	%±
Labor Force	53,165	51,377	3.48%
Employed	50,995	49,358	3.32%
Unemployed	2,171	2,019	7.53%
% Co. Unemployed	4.1	3.9	5.13%
% TX Unemployed	4.8	4.6	4.35%
* Represents numbers from May 2008

Sources:  City of New Braunfels, Comal County, CenterPoint Energy, New Braunfels Utilities, Pedernales Electric Cooperative, Guadalupe Valley Telecommunications Cooperative, State Comptroller of Public Accounts, Texas Workforce Commission, and the Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce, Inc.

Calvary Baptist Academy                                                        

177 W. Klein Road

New Braunfels, TX  78130

(830) 629-0049

Cross Lutheran School

2171 East Common Street

New Braunfels, TX  78130

(830) 625-3969

New Braunfels Christian Academy

995 Mission Hills Drive

New Braunfels, TX  78130

(830) 629-6222

Sts. Peter and Paul School

198 W. Bridge

New Braunfels, TX  78130

(830) 625-4531

*  This is not a complete list of all schools in the New Braunfels area.

NEARBY COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES AND TECHNICAL SCHOOLS

Texas Lutheran University in Seguin, 13 miles east
Texas State University in San Marcos, 16 miles north
Central Texas Technology Center in New Braunfels, 8 miles east

Colleges and Universities in San Antonio **
(36 Miles south of New Braunfels)
Northwest Vista College
Northeast Campos
Our Lady of the Lake University
Palo Alto College
San Antonio College
Saint  Mary's University
St. Phillips College
Trinity University
University of the Incarnate Word
University of Texas Health Science Center of San Antonio
University of Texas of San Antonio

**This list does include all campuses in  the San Antonio area.

Home rule, council-manager form of government with six council members which are elected from six districts. Council members are elected for three-year terms. The Mayor is elected at large by the citizens of New Braunfels.

The City has an updated comprehensive city master plan supervised by a Planning and Zoning Commission. The Commission also oversees the application and enforcement of the City Zoning Ordinance.

The City has 122 police personnel and 66 patrol cars; the Fire Department has a staff of 105, 4 stations and 4 fully equipped ambulances. Because of the efficiency of the Fire Department, New Braunfels has the state's maximum good fire record credit of 20% with a key rate of fourteen cents.

The City operates ambulance service with Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics. As of 1990, 911 service has been a part of New Braunfels and Comal County.

SALES TAX REFUND

If your company locates in the New Braunfels Enterprise Zone and qualifies as an Enterprise Project, you could qualify for up to $2,500 per job in sales tax refunds for qualified equipment purchases & building construction. Both local and state sales tax would be utilized in the calculations. 

FRANCHISE TAX DEDUCTION

As an Enterprise project in New Braunfels, your company could be eligible to deduct from its taxable capital 50% of its capital investment.The deduction may be taken on each franchise tax report based on your fiscal year. 

After apportionment, deductions from both capital and earned surplus are allowed for enterprise zone investments.The state tax rate on capital assets is $2.50 per $1,000 of taxable capital and the earned surplus tax rate is 4.5%.Specifically, enterprise zone projects are eligible for a deduction from taxable capital that equals to 50% of the project's capital investment in the enterprise zone.The allowable deduction from taxable earned surplus is 5% of the qualified investment. 

SCHOOL PROPERTY TAX REFUNDS

In 2001 during the 77th Legislative session House Bill 1200 sponsored by Congressman Brimer provided relief from school property taxes for large capital investments.The law applies only to a corporation or limited liability company that is subject to payment of state franchise taxes.In addition the company must create at least twenty-five new permanent jobs, pay at least 80% of a group health benefit plan for its employees and pay at least 110% of the county average weekly wage.

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOND FINANCING

Governed by the Texas Development Corporation Act of 1979, political subdivisions are authorized to create non-profit lending corporations to provide tax exempt financing for commercial, industrial and manufacturing projects.

The Comal County Industrial Development Authority acts as issuer for tax-exempt industrial revenue bonds.A number of projects have been approved and bonds sold to finance projects in New Braunfels. 

NEW BRAUNFELS UTILITIES IMPACT FEE WAIVER POLICY

In order to promote industrial development and economic growth in New Braunfels and its surrounding area, New Braunfels Utilities has formulated an Impact Fee Waiver Policy.The waiver shall be available to manufacturers and service industries which own qualifying real and personal property and are willing to execute a contract with New Braunfels Utilities for the waiver of impact fees designed to promote long-term significant positive economic impact to the community. 

A manufacturer or service industry requesting a waiver must apply for water or sewer service and agree to expend a designated sum of money or provide a certain number of jobs according to the scoring formula in use by the City of New Braunfels and Comal County for property tax abatement.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FINANCING

The City of New Braunfels has a sales tax for economic development.A corporation has been established by the City Council. They will be able to consider the following for qualified projects:

Business Development:  Direct Loans, Guarantees, Interest Subsidies, Grants, Relocation and Moving Expenses, Subsidized Land & Building costs, Equipment purchases, GAP financing.

Facility Development:  Building construction, Existing Building expansion and upgrades, Industrial Land Development.

Infrastructure Development:  Utility Extensions to Industry, Utility Development to key industrial areas,Infrastructure upgrade, rail spurs for industry.

Workforce Development:  Job Training Costs, Equipment for Training Programs, coord. with ISDS, supplement Skills Development Fund grants, Technical/Vocational center.

TAX ABATEMENTS 

The City of New Braunfels is committed to the promotion of high quality development in all parts of the City and to an ongoing improvement in the quality of life for its citizens. Insofar as these objectives are generally served by the enhancement and expansion of the local economy, the City of New Braunfels will, on a case-by-case basis, give consideration to providing tax abatement and other incentives as stimulation for economic development in New Braunfels.It is policy of the City of New Braunfels that said consideration will be provided in accordance with the guidelines and criteria outlined in this document.Nothing herein shall imply or suggest that the City of New Braunfels is under any obligation to provide tax abatement to any applicant. All applicants shall be considered on a case-by-case basis, and the decision to approve or deny tax abatement shall be at the discretion of the City Council.Tax abatement agreements are made with the owners of real property to exempt from taxation a portion of the value of the real property or of tangible personal property, or both.The duration of an agreement may be for a period of time determined appropriate by the City Council, based on the economic life of the improvements and consistent with the provisions of this policy, but in no case for more than ten years in accordance with state law.Special terms and conditions may be set in the agreement governing each specific tax abatement.

Eligibility & Criteria

A. Eligible Facilities:Tax abatement may be granted for new facilities and for expansion or modernization of existing facilities. The economic life of a facility, and/or eligible property must exceed the duration ofthe abatement.

B. Eligible Property: Tax Abatement may be applied to both real and business personal property.Inventory and supplies are not eligible for tax abatement.

C. Eligibility Criteria: In order to be considered for tax abatement, the project must be located within one of the following categories and be a targeted industry type as shown in # 4 below:

1. Citywide: Eligible facilities located in a reinvestment zone and resulting in a minimum added value of $200,000 in real and business personal property (excluding inventory and supplies.

2. New Braunfels Enterprise Zone: Eligible facilities located in the New Braunfels Enterprise Zone resulting in a minimum added value of $100,000 in real and business property (excluding inventory and supplies).

3. Downtown New Braunfels: Eligible facilities located in downtown New Braunfels, which includes the Downtown Zoning District, resulting in a minimum added value of $50,000 in real and business personal property (excluding inventory and supplies).

4. Target Industry Type: 

(a) A project is considered to be a Target Industry Type if it fits within the economic development strategic plan, and shall be eligible for tax abatement only upon a finding by the City Council that the project will make a unique or unequalled contributionto the economy, development, redevelopment, tourism or employment opportunities in the City of New Braunfels.  Targeted industry categories are:

Targeted Categories
-  Product Fabrication
-  Assembly & Processing - Electronic, Aircraft, Bio-medical & Consumer Products
-  Distribution/Warehouse
-  Headquarters - Corporate/Regional - all categories
-  Business Services - Financial, Personnel, Industrial, Educational, Aviation-related, 
      Communications and Computer-oriented services
-  Research & Development
-  Aviation-related Industries
-  Technical-Related Education & Training

The above categories to include the following:
-  Commercial Machinery
-  Electrical & Electrical Machinery
-  Electronic Computers
-  Equipment
-  Fabricated Metals, Plastics & Woo