The Santa Clarita Valley Enterprise Zone will host a free breakfast seminar on Thursday, Aug. 21,  from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at College of the Canyons University Center, located at 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, for business owners interested in taking advantage of the program before it ends this year.  RSVP is required as seating is limited.

Local businesses are encouraged to attend and take full advantage of the program’s benefits before the Santa Clarita Valley Enterprise Zone ends on December 31, 2013.  The proposal to eliminate the California Enterprise Zone program was passed by the State Senate this June and as a result, the program’s benefits will no longer be available in the Santa Clarita Valley.

“The Santa Clarita Valley Enterprise Zone has helped hundreds of businesses expand and hire thousands of employees,” commented Mayor Bob Kellar.  “We are sad the program has been eliminated but want to be sure that companies interested in using the program this year have the chance to take advantage of its many benefits.”

The breakfast seminar is designed to help local businesses learn how to keep more of what they earn with discussion topics including: ways to reduce State income Tax, how businesses can qualify for tax savings of up to $37,000 per employee, and advantages of doing business in the Santa Clarita Valley Enterprise Zone.  All business owners, general managers, HR managers, accountants, and businesses located in the new expansion areas including Valencia Commerce Center, Castaic, and East Santa Clarita are encouraged to take advantage of this free seminar.

Since its inception in 1984, the Enterprise Zone program has provided hiring credits and tax breaks in economically distressed areas of the state to encourage business investment and promote the creation of new jobs.  Santa Clarita was awarded an Enterprise Zone in 2007 and since then it has saved businesses over $300 million in taxes and led to hiring more than 8,300 employees.

For more information on the Santa Clarita Valley Enterprise Zone breakfast seminar or to RSVP, please contact (661) 288-4400 or email scvedc@scvedc.org.