Strategically Located for Corporate Operations - Louisiana`s I

Strategically Located for
Corporate Operations
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Kevin Davis, Parish President
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Quality of life...
St. Tammany Parish is strategically located to provide easy access
to New Orleans, the Gulf Coast areas and the major population
centers of the vibrant gulf-south. Four metropolitan centers are
within 100 miles of St. Tammany (including New Orleans), 15
within 100 and 300 miles, and 125 within 750 miles.
Located on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, St. Tammany
has easy access to New Orleans via the Causeway or the I-10 Twin
Span. Interstates 12, 10, 55 and 59, U.S. Hwy. 190 and a vast array
of state highways conveniently tie us to the entire country. If your
preferred source of travel is by air, St. Tammany has two airports for
commuter travel and an international airport is within 40 miles.
St. Tammany has always been an attractive and desirable location
for those seeking the good life without sacrificing business success.
Our parish encompasses 854 square miles. Its communities,
comprising Abita Springs, Bush, Covington, Folsom, Lacombe,
Madisonville, Mandeville, Pearl River, Slidell, Sun and Talisheek,
have something to offer everyone–from urban neighborhoods
and small towns, to artists’ meccas, historic villages and panoramic
countrysides.
Waterfront living and recreation is available along Lake
Pontchartrain and the many bayous and rivers. With its many
waterways, St. Tammany has a tropical aura with average
temperatures ranging from 41 degrees in January to 93 degrees in
July.
St. Tammany is at the center of activity. For those seeking big-city
activity, Baton Rouge, 60 miles to the west, and New Orleans, 35
miles to the south, offer major league sports, theatrical, musical
and artistic entertainment, museums and art galleries, historyrich venues and casinos. Or join the nearly 735,000 cruise-ship
passengers who depart from New Orleans annually. If a plethora
Northshore Nature Center
Slidell Cultural Center
“Our proximity to
the Gulf Coast, New
Orleans and Baton Rouge;
transportation accessibility;
low business costs; available
labor pool; superb school
system; low crime rate and
first-rate medical facilities
make St. Tammany an
attractive package for
employers and
employees alike.”
-Kevin Davis
President
St. Tammany Parish
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25.7%
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Work force availability...
of casinos and entertainment is what you’re looking for, the
Gulf Coast communities of Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, and Biloxi,
Mississippi start within a 30-minute drive east of St. Tammany
on Interstate I-10.
Source: U.S. Census, St. Tammany Parish Government.
Post-Katrina, population estimates vary in most references.
Before Hurricane Katrina, St. Tammany Parish was the fifth
largest parish in the state and has been the fastest growing
parish since the 1970s. The population has more than
tripled since 1970, with a pre-Katrina estimated population
of 215,837 in 2005. Virtually overnight, post-Katrina, St.
Tammany became the third largest parish in the state with an
estimated population of 271,361 in 2006.
The people moving to St. Tammany post-Katrina are
predominantly from the flooded areas of St. Bernard Parish,
traditionally known as a suburban wildlife, fishing and
agriculture community. It is yet to be determined how many
St. Bernard families will remain in St. Tammany as they have
found it to be a complementary alternative to their previous
home.
Source: Editor and Publisher Market Guide, 2006.
St. Tammany has seen an increase in the number of
businesses locating in St. Tammany. The Secretary of State
has recorded 818 new incorporations through the third
quarter of 2006, while the parish (excludes municipalities)
issued nearly 1,373 new occupational licenses in 2006.
St. Tammany’s highway system
conveniently ties it to the entire country.
These families and businesses realized what St. Tammany residents
already knew. St. Tammany is a safe haven, enjoying a relatively low
crime rate. The St. Tammany Sheriff’s solve rate of nearly 60 percent
is consistently more than double the national solve rate.
St. Tammany has a superb school system. It continuously scores
above national and state levels on standardized tests. Money
magazine has named it one of the top 100 school systems within
the Nation’s major metropolitan areas. And it has the lowest
dropout rate in the state.
ST. TAMMANY ETHNIC POPULATION
CAUCASIAN
AF. AM.
HISPANIC
ASIAN
AM. INDIAN
84.51%
11.46%
3.12%
1.08%
0.46%
Source: Claritas, 2006.
Source: 2005 statistics from St. Tammany Parish
Sheriff’s Office, 2004 statistics from the Federal
Bureau of Investigation
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Louisiana Heart Hospital
PoolCorp.
“PoolCorp. relocated to
St. Tammany Parish 11 years
ago. St. Tammany is the
best place in Louisiana to
establish an administrative
headquarters as it’s a very
nice bedroom community
with a high quality of life for
families, especially catering
to professional employees.”
-Manuel Perez de la Mesa
CEO
PoolCorp.
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LARGEST ST. TAMMANY EMPLOYERS
# OF
EMPLOYER
EMPLOYEES
St. Tammany Parish School Board
7,534
University Healthcare System
2,752
St. Tammany Parish Hospital
1,598
Slidell Memorial Hospital
1,116
Lakeview Regional Medical Center
715
St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office
715
Southeast Louisiana Hospital
621
St. Tammany Parish Government
540
Northshore Regional Medical Center
490
City of Slidell
366
Ochsner Health Centers
329
Chevron
300
Express Personnel Services
295
Gilsbar, Inc.
283
Tulane National Primate Research Center
256
Blossman Bancshares, Inc. & Subsidiaries
239
Central Progressive Bank
239
Bellsouth Telecommunications, Inc.
218
First Guaranty Bank
198
Protocol
170
Cross Gates Athletic Club
167
Capital One
167
Parish National Bank
163
FARA
145
PoolCorp.
133
Greenbriar Nursing Home
130
Pontchartrain Foods, Inc.
156
CLECO Power
110
Fuller Selle, LLC
110
Medtron Software Intelligence Corp. 110
Northlake Christian School
107
Cowell Banker Tech
100
Resource Bank
69
Standard Materials
64
Hood Chevrolet
P&W Industries, Inc.
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Business climate...
A look at the big picture reveals that Louisiana is a right-to-work
state with an average union density of 17.5 percent compared to
the average union density of all states of 33.5 percent resulting in
a low number of man-hours lost due to work stoppages. Louisiana
does not rely heavily on corporate franchise and corporate income
taxes to finance state government. They represent only 8.2 percent
of the total taxes collected. The state’s unemployment insurance
weekly benefit is $195 while the national average is $262, ranking
Louisiana’s rates among the lowest in the nation.
Likewise, St. Tammany has an educated and diverse work
force. Nearly 85 percent of its residents have graduated from
high school and more than 28 percent have a Bachelor’s
degree or higher compared to 75 percent and 19 percent for
the state and 80 percent and 24 percent for the nation.
The largest single employer in St. Tammany Parish remains
the St. Tammany Parish public school system with 7,651
employees. Health care services have become one of the
largest employment sectors in the parish, claiming 6 of the
top 8 employers. Of the 6,305 employers, the retail sector
is the largest with 841 employers followed by professional,
science and technology at 768, construction at 679 and
health care and social assistance at 643.
The oil and gas, maritime, seafood, tourism, shipbuilding and
aerospace industries contribute significantly to the New Orleans
region economy. Louisiana’s oil and natural gas production rank
first and second, respectively, in the United States. The state’s gas
processing capacity leads the nation while its refining capacity
ranks second nationally. Also among natural resources, Louisiana is
the largest producer of salt in the United States.
A competitive advantage over almost every other U.S. seaport, the
New Orleans region is accessible to major U.S., world and Latin
American markets via five interstate highways, the Mississippi
River waterway system, Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, and six trunk
line railroads.
Second only to Alaska, Louisiana’s fishing industry accounts for 26
percent of all seafood landed in the country.
Only 8.2 percent of total taxes collected
for the state budget comes from corporate
franchise and income taxes.
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Source: County Business Patterns, U.S. Census Bureau, 2003
“I came to St. Tammany
while in my fellowship at
Tulane University Medical
Center. My family and
I decided to make St.
Tammany our home because
we enjoy the people, the
lifestyle and the beauty of the
area. Abundant medicallyrelated opportunities exist
where you have excellent
physicians providing great
medical care. Where else can
you live just two miles from
your office in town and still
live in the woods?”
-Rachael Murphy, MD, ABIM,
ASAM,
AAMRO, LCAM
United Med Care, Inc.
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Platform Crane Conceptual
FARA
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Business climate...
St. Tammany has experienced extraordinary economic growth in
medical, publishing and communication, construction and retail
sectors. Economic diversification is being led by headquarter
relocations, “back offices” and retirement communities. Because of
St. Tammany has become the central location between Michoud and
the Stennnis Space Center for technology and information systems.
One of the nation’s leading shipbuilding regions, New
Orleans realizes competitive advantages thus successfully
competes for the nation’s defense contracts.
While New Orleans’ tourism industry has experienced a
setback at the hands of Hurricane Katrina, St. Tammany’s
tourism industry has seen consistent increases.
St. Tammany is located within 50 miles of two of America’s largest
ports and one of its most important container ports, providing
companies with frequent service to foreign markets.
St. Tammany’s tourism industry ranks second in the state
among non-gaming parishes, with nearly $163 million in
expenditures in St. Tammany. Tourism supports 1,380 jobs
that generate $23 million in salaries.
With an international airport only 40 miles away, St. Tammany has
two airports for commuter travel. Once completed, expansion of the
St. Tammany Regional Airport should spur growth in these sectors.
Having secured a donation of 328 acres and received FAA approval,
the St. Tammany Regional Airport is constructing a new facility,
5,000-foot runway, expandable to 7,000 feet, and new hangers to
accommodate personal and private jets. The Slidell Municipal Airport
consists of 350 acres with a 5,000-foot asphalt and lighted runway.
The film industry, across the state, is booming. P3/Production
Update, a film industry trade magazine, ranked Louisiana as
the best state to make movies in its July 2006 article, “Top
10 Places to Shoot.” Louisiana attracted $550 million in total
production value in 2005 and $375 million in 2004.
House Fiscal Division, 8/1/05
St. Tammany is great place to
start a business and raise a family.
TOTAL MEAN ANNUAL EARNINGS
Private Industry and State and Local Government-Mean Salary
St. Tammany Houston
OCCUPATIONAL GROUP
LA, MSA
TX
Professional specialty
$53,225
$61,610
Technical
$43,172
$52,600
Executive, administrative
$69,029
$75,161
and managerial
Sales
$36,548
$39,523
Administrative support,
$25,149
$27,733
includes clerical
Precision production, $38,411
$41,875
craft and repair
Machine operators,
$27,781
$29,452
assemblers and inspectors
Transportation and
$33,179
$30,169
material moving
Handlers, equipment cleaners,
$20,172
$21,379
helpers and laborers
Service
$19,024
$20,636
National Compensation Survey
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Dec. ‘04
Dec. ‘04
Birmingham
AL
$52,067
$38,387
$73,408
Mobile
AL
$47,141
$37,949
$70,747
Memphis
TN
$52,423
$46,573
$65,708
Atlanta
GA
$61,518
$60,286
$69,258
Dallas
TX
$62,470
$54,722
$72,764
$29,676
$26,291
$29,336
$25,262
$34,241
$26,653
$45,213
$32,486
$46,891
$32,513
$34,233
$40,489
$43,199
$41,043
$38,476
$27,484
$29,283
$30,232
$30,441
$24,687
$27,694
$28,720
$32,465
$29,392
$35,599
$21,760
$20,460
$23,842
$23,517
$22,291
$24,048
$21,190
$26,646
$24,426
$23,676
Feb. ‘06
Aug. ‘05
Feb. ‘05
Jan. ‘05
Mar. ‘05
Florida Marine Transporters, Inc.
MEAN HOURLY EARNINGS BY OCCUPATIONAL GROUP
“We moved our office from
New Orleans to the North
Shore for the quality
of life it afforded our
employees.”
-John D. Roberts
President
Florida Marine
Transporters, Inc.
Private Industry and State and Local Government
OCCUPATIONAL GROUP
Professional specialty
Technical
Executive, administrative & managerial
Sales
Administrative support
Precision production, craft & repair
Machine operators, assemblers & inspectors
Transportation and material moving
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers & laborers
Service
FULL-TIME PART-TIME UNION NONUNION
$29.99
$20.96
$33.28
$17.45
$12.52
$18.55
$13.39
$14.75
$10.11
$ 9.32
$18.54
-
$12.58
$ 7. 20
$ 8.46
-
-
$12.55
-
$ 5.91
-
-
-
-
-
$20.69
-
$14.68
$13.04
-
$29.58
$20.73
$33.16
$15.98
$12.28
$17.54
$12.75
$14.57
$ 9.02
$ 8.26
Source: National Compensation Survey, December 2004
PamLab, LLC
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Cost of living...
SALES TAX RATES BY PARISH
PARISH TAX
STATE TAX
Jefferson
Orleans
Plaquemines
St. Bernard
St. Charles
St. James
St. John
St. Tammany*
Tangipahoa*
Washington*
4.75%
5.00%
3.00%
5.00%
5.00%
3.50%
4.75%
4.75%
3.00%
3.50%
4.00%
4.00%
4.00%
4.00%
4.00%
4.00%
4.00%
4.00%
4.00%
4.00%
TOTAL SALES
TAX RATE
8.75%
9.00%
7.00%
9.00%
9.00%
7.50%
8.75%
8.75%
7.00%
7.50%
Source: Louisiana Department of Revenue
*Sales tax rate in unincorporated areas of parishes
Source: Editor & Publisher Market Guide, 2006
100=Most attractive place to live.
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Not only do lower labor costs translate into lower
costs of doing business, but so does living costs. St.
Tammany enjoys a better living index (weighting of
the cost of living and crime indices and education
levels) of 93.68, which is higher than most other
southern metropolitan regions.
The parish’s estimated per capita income in 2006 is
$27,807 making it higher than Louisiana’s estimated
per capita income of $22,459 and mirroring the U.S.
at $27,462.
Louisiana has the seventh lowest local, state and
federal tax burden in the U.S. Its individual income
tax is also among the lowest in the nation. Tax rates
for individuals filing as single, married but filing
separately, or as head of household are two percent
of the first $12,500 of taxable income, four percent
of the next $12,500 and six percent on taxable
income over $25,000. Married persons filing a joint
return are taxed at rates of two percent of the first
$25,000, four percent of the next $25,000, and six
percent of taxable income over $50,000. The standard
deduction is $4,500 ($9,000 for heads of households
and married taxpayers filing jointly). A dependency
deduction of $1,000 is allowed for each dependent,
for taxpayer and/or spouse who is at least 65 years of
age, and for taxpayer and/or spouse who is blind.
Louisiana’s corporate tax rate ranges from four percent on the first
$25,000 of net income, five percent on the next $25,000, six percent
on the next $50,000, seven percent on the next $100,000 and eight
percent on the net income over $200,000. The state’s corporate
franchise tax rate is $1.50 for each $1,000 of taxable base up to
$300,000 and $3 for each $1,000 of taxable base over $300,000. The
minimum corporate franchise tax is $10.
Beginning July 1, 2005, the state began rolling back the four
percent state sales tax on manufacturing machinery and equipment
as well as farming and forestry machinery. Beginning January 1,
2006, the state began phasing out the corporate franchise tax on
debt. These two phaseouts will cut business taxes by more than $1
billion during the next eight years.
The most generous in the country is Louisiana’s
property tax , known as homestead exemption. The
value of a home is tax-free up to $75,000 from state
and parish property taxes. Louisiana is the fourth
lowest in the nation at $324 of local property
taxes collected per capita.
Hornbeck Offshore
Source: Tax Foundation, 2006
DonahueFavret, Contractors, Inc.
“St Tammany is strategically
located in the heart of the
Gulf Coast region and offers a
wonderful quality of life. This
combination of location and
quality made it an easy decision to establish our company
in St. Tammany Parish in
1979. Since that time we
have grown with St Tammany
and had revenues exceeding
$65,000,000 last year.”
-John “Jack” Donahue, Jr.
President / CEO,
Donahue/Favret
Contractors, Inc.
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Cost of living...
Residential Real Estate
this reflects the absorption of space by firms displaced from New
Orleans seeking temporary offices to re-establish business and
those considering a permanent move to secure back-up or satellite
locations outside of flood prone areas.
In 2005, St. Tammany new home construction was set for another
record year with 261 new homes permitted monthly. PostKatrina, St. Tammany continues to be the destination of choice
for households migrating from southern parishes and newcomers
from the northeast and west coast with roughly 300 new homes
permitted monthly in the first quarter of 2006.
“The reasons we (CGB
Enterprises) Stay in St.
Tammany:
1) Quality lifestyle for our
employees and their
families.
2) High quality education
system.
3) Responsive public
officials to the needs of
the business community.
4) Good access to
transportation...both air
and highway.
5) Good communications
infrastructure.
6) Proximity to the
Mississippi River ports.”
The most generous in the country is
Louisiana’s property tax.
St. Tammany’s residents occupy more than 90,000 households.
While housing prices are up 10.3 percent nationwide, St.
Tammany’s housing prices were up by nine percent. The average
price of a single family home in post-Katrina St. Tammany is
$224,263 compared to the national average of $217,900.
ST. TAMMANY
SINGLE-FAMILY DWELLING
Price per Square Foot
In 2006, the average price per square foot for a residential
dwelling was $105.95 in eastern St. Tammany and $124.25 in
western St Tammany. Nationally, the price per square foot is
approximately $140 for a single-family residence.
Residential apartments in St. Tammany, on the other hand, had an
average price per square foot of $.83 with average rent of $989 for
a 1,200 square foot apartment.
Commercial/Industrial Real Estate
With major retail chains moving in across St. Tammany Parish,
total retail sales is expected to reach $3.25 billion in 2006, up from
2.11 billion in 2002. Post-Katrina, St. Tammany’s Class A, B and C
retail properties average occupancy rate is 94, 92 and 89 percent,
respectively. Free standing stores and malls have a 100 percent
occupancy rate. Rental rates per square foot are $13.06 for Class A,
$10.70 for Class B, $11.99 for Class C, and $40 for malls.
St. Tammany’s office market, with 1.2 million feet, revealed a 97
percent occupancy rate for all office buildings. Rental rates for all
office buildings averaged $14.33 per foot. For both retail and office,
Abita Springs
70420
$117.00
Bush/Sun
70431
$117.00
Covington
70433
70435
$122.00
$118.00
Folsom
70437
$117.00
Madisonville
70447
$136.00
Mandeville
70471
70488
$127.00
$127.00
Lacombe
704445
$102.00
Pearl River/Talisheek
70452
$110.00
Slidell
70460
70458
70461
$ 95.00
$102.00
$103.00
Source: Times Picayune, January 7, 2007
-Kevin D. Adams
President / CEO
CGB Enterprises
“The success of any company
depends not only on the
quality of its employees but
also on their satisfaction
with the community they live
in. Deciding to locate in St
Tammany Parish was an easy
decision for Zen-Noh Grain
because it is a safe community
with excellent schools.
The public servants here are
also progressive when it comes
to infrastructure and growth
yet mindful of the resident’s
desire to maintain the relaxed
quality of life. One can easily
enjoy the benefits of the City
and Gulf Coast region yet
head to higher ground for the
country atmosphere here
on the North shore.”
-John Williams
President / CEO
Zen-Noh Grain Corp.
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HCA Medline
Zen-Noh Grain Corp.
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Education...
Primary and Secondary Education
For the children of St. Tammany’s residents, its public school
system is one of the best in the nation. St. Tammany’s 49 public
schools educated nearly 34,000 students in the 2005-2006 school
year, down slightly from pre-Katrina enrollment of 35,000. There
are also 22 private and/or faith-based schools. All St. Tammany
public schools are accredited by the Southern Association
of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Money magazine named it
one of the top 100 school systems within the nation’s major
metropolitan areas. Seven schools have been named National
Schools of Excellence by the U. S. Department of Education.
On the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), the St. Tammany Parish
public school system consistently averaged scores above the
national norm group at every grade level and in all subject areas.
On the American College Test (ACT), students in St. Tammany
public school system scored above (21.5) the state (19.8) and
national (20.9) averages .
Louisiana’s Tuition Opportunity Program for Students,
commonly called the TOPS Program, is a four-component
program of state scholarships and is one of the most innovative
and progressive student assistance programs in the nation.
Any Louisiana graduating high school student who achieves
a cumulative 2.5- grade-point-average, completes a specified
college-preparatory curriculum and who scores the state
average (not less than 20) on the American College Test (ACT) is
eligible to receive free college tuition.
Source: St. Tammany Parish School System
There are 12 colleges and universities within commuting
distance with two having satellite campuses in St. Tammany.
St. Tammany has an abundance of entry-level
as well as higher education institutions.
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Pelican Athletic Club
L.P. Monteleone Junior High School
St. Tammany’s public school system
has been named among the top 100 in
the nation’s major metro areas.
Higher education in Louisiana continues to be among the most
affordable. At its four-year public colleges, Louisiana tuition and
fee charges for 2005-2006 were $3,500 compared to Alabama at
$4,650, Arkansas at $4,700, Mississippi at $4,040, Texas at $4,830,
and Florida at $3,100.
Delgado Community College offers a number of courses, mainly
Arts & Sciences and Business courses, Allied Health programs,
Culinary Arts, Early Childhood Education, and Horticulture, as well
as basic education courses in English, Mathematics and Computer
Literacy. Non-credit courses are also available. Delgado recently
partnered with St. Tammany’s Florida Marine to provide a new
state-of-the-art and Louisiana’s first Towboat Simulator Training
Facility that will train 9,000 mariners annually.
Southeastern Louisiana University’s satellite campus, called
the St. Tammany Center, is home to 1,500 students enrolled
in courses, ranging from biology and chemistry to accounting
and economics, being taught during day and evening hours by
Southeastern faculty. In partnership with the St. Tammany Parish
School Board, SLU has developed a teacher-training program that
allows education students to fulfill their in-class teacher training
requirements in North Shore schools.
“Combine the professional
opportunities available
in St. Tammany with the
family lifestyle and you’ll
understand why I’m staying
home after I graduate.”
-Victoria Henry
Student
St. Scholastica Academy
Other Colleges and Institutions
Several other higher education opportunities are available at
private facilities in the St. Tammany Parish community. Among
them are Delta College, Grantham University, Lacrosse University
and several accounting and business institutions.
L.P. Monteleone Junior High School
Pelican Park
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Health care...
Public Medical Facilities
St. Tammany Parish is divided into two hospital districts, each with
its own public hospital, St. Tammany Parish Hospital and Slidell
Memorial Hospital. A third public hospital, Southeast Louisiana
Hospital, is a well-known public mental health clinic and serves the
citizens of the entire state.
-Rick S. Danielson
Financial Advisor
Merrill Lynch
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Leisure activities...
St. Tammany Parish has several public and private medical facilities
that offer a wide array of services to North Shore residents. These
medical facilities offer state-of-the-art equipment, qualified
personnel and specialized medical practitioners.
“I feel fortunate that I grew
up in St. Tammany Parish
and was excited to know that
this is where I would settle
after completing my military
career...but little did I know
the vast complexities of our
parish government and the
multiple opportunities and
functions that surround it.”
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Private Medical Facilities
Six private facilities are available to meet the medical needs of St.
Tammany Parish residents. They offer a variety of services, including
acute care as well as mental health treatment and rehabilitation.
The new state-of-the-art invasive heart hospital, Louisiana Heart
Hospital, opened in 2003, and the Ochsner Health Systems opened
its largest clinic (98,500 square feet) on the North Shore in February
2004.
Retirement Communities
Among the nine retirement communities in St. Tammany, some are
noted among the premier places for independent active retirees in
Louisiana. Among them are Christwood, The Windsor Senior Living
Community, Southerland Place and Heritage Manor.
The health care industry claims six
of the top eight employers in the parish.
St. Tammany Parish Hospital
Approximately 77,000 acres, or 14 percent of the total land
area within St. Tammany Parish, is designated as federal or
state public land in the form of national wildlife reserves, state
wildlife management areas, and state parks. In addition to these
public lands, the Nature Conservancy, a non-profit organization
that operates the largest private system of nature sanctuaries
worldwide, has established five nature preserves in the parish
totaling more than 4,600 acres. Hurricane Katrina devastated St.
Tammany’s pine population yet most public areas have recovered
and are open for public use.
In December 2001, St. Tammany Parish purchased what’s
affectionately known as Camp Salmen, a 60-plus years camp for New
Orleans area Boy Scouts. The vision for the 106 pristine acres on the
scenic Bayou Liberty is to become a recreational area for the people
of St. Tammany, with bike paths connecting it to the Tammany
Trace. The Parish is in the process of developing a master plan.
Pelican Park, the largest of St. Tammany’s local public parks,
accommodates approximately 750,000 annual park visitors.
Pelican Park also is the site of the Castine Center, a 46,000 squarefoot special events venue with an adjacent 2,200 square-foot
conference center.
The new Northshore Harbor Center is another alternative for
conferences, tradeshows, performances, social events and athletic
tournaments. This 45,000 square foot facility can accommodate over
2,500 people, with meeting rooms or exhibit space.
The Greater Covington Center, located in the scenic downtown
Covington, has a 15,762 square foot auditorium suitable for
professional theatrical performances, two 462 square foot
meeting rooms and a 4,000 square foot professional kitchen and
banquet area.
Pelican Athletic Club
Pelican Athletic Club
“As a prescription
pharmaceutical, marketing
and sales company, most of
our professional employees
live in St. Tammany. As a
result, we don’t have
problems seeking professionals
and rarely have to seek
professionals outside
St. Tammany.”
-Barry D. LeBlanc
President /
Chief Operating Officer
Pamlab, LLC
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Leisure activities...
“We located our distribution
center in St. Tammany
because of the quality of
employees we were able to
attract. St. Tammany has
a great pool of people from
which to chose.”
-Comeaux Family
American Factory Direct
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Doing business in St. Tammany...
The Tammany Trace is one of the newest recreational opportunities
in the parish and offers residents and visitors a facility that is virtually
unmatched in quality, length, and amenities in the entire state. The
Tammany Trace is Louisiana’s first rail-to trail-conversion that provides
a multi-use, 31-mile recreational corridor for pedestrians, bicycles,
equestrians, roller bladers, and joggers.
Gulf opportunity zone
Northlake Nature Center/Museum is located on 400 acres of ancient
pines and hardwood forest. Bounded on the west by Bayou Castine,
crossed by a marsh and active beaver pond, it is teeming with native
animal and plant life. Areas of cultural interest include the site
of an archaeological survey providing evidence of a 700-year-old
Acolapissa Native American population. The center is complete with
an open-air pavilion.
EXISTING BUSINESS INCENTIVES INCLUDE:
• An enhanced net operating loss carryback that provides for a
portion of the net operating loss that is a “Qualified GO Zone Loss”
to be carried back five years rather than two years;
• The expanded ability to expense up to 50 percent of demolition
and cleanup costs as well as more time to remediate and expense
certain environmental cleanup costs;
• Employee retention and work opportunity credits; and
• Expanded treatment of personal casualty losses.
With water covering nearly one-quarter of the entire area of St. Tammany
Parish, access to streams, rivers, and lakes is important to St. Tammany’s
residents. No less than 12 marinas and numerous boat ramps are located
throughout the parish for a multitude of water sports.
A growing population has also created a growing market for private
full- and limited-service athletic facilities that can be found throughout
the parish. Nine public and private golf courses and numerous tennis
courts and swimming pools provide the parish’s residents with an
abundance of outdoor activities.
With major retail chains moving in across St. Tammany Parish, there’s
no need to leave the parish for the most popular shopping haunts. St.
Tammany also has carved a niche in the world of arts, antiques and
specialty shopping.
In efforts to respond to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina,
Congress passed the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005 (GO Zone
Act), The GO Zone Act supports existing businesses and provides
financial incentives for new development and rehabilitation in the
impacted areas.
NEW BUSINESS INCENTIVES INCLUDE:
• Tax-exempt bond financing available for a limited time to private
business for office buildings, warehouses, rental housing,
manufacturing facilities, shopping centers, retail stores and many
other private sector projects;
• Fifty percent bonus depreciation for new development
• The increase in deductions for Section 179 depreciation of new
and used personal property used in a trade or business and
certain other eligible property;
• Rehabilitation tax credits to restore commercial buildings; and
• An expanded amount of low-income housing tax credits.
“Someone once told me that
living and working in St.
Tammany is like being on
vacation. And it’s true. It’s
that feeling you get when you
cross the Causeway.”
-Nixon Adams
Retired Executive
Bellsouth
The state’s sports fishing on inland and
deep-sea waters is considered some of the
best and most prolific in the U.S.
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Tchefuncte River
Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum
WOW Cafe & Wingery Headquarters
Maritime Pilots Institute Simulator
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ST. TAMMANY ENTERPRISE ZONES
GULF OPPORTUNITY ZONE
Gulf Opportunity Zone (Katrina Only)
Gulf Opportunity Zone (Katrina & Rita)
Gulf Opportunity Zone (Rita Only)
Enterprise Zone Program
Major Projects Development Authority
Quality Jobs Program
Rapid Response Fund
Industrial Property Tax Exemption Program
Economic Development Awards Program
Workforce Training and Development Programs
Headquarter Growth Program
Research and Development Tax Credit
Angel Investment Credit
Retention and Modernization Program
Rail Rolling Stock Tax Exemption
Industrial Property Tax Exemption Program
Abates local property taxes for 10 years on a manufacturer’s investment
in buildings, machinery, equipment and other property that is part of
the manufacturing process and remains on the plant site.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AWARDS PROGRAM
Provides financing for publicly owned infrastructure for industrial
or business development projects including engineering expenses,
site acquisition and preparation, construction expenses, building
materials and capital equipment.
ENTERPRISE ZONE PROGRAM
Provides tax credits and rebates including a $2,500
tax credit for each net new permanent job created
during the first five years of operation and a
rebate of the state’s 4 percent sales/use tax on the
materials, machinery and equipment purchased
during the construction period and used exclusively
on site.
WORKFORCE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
Provides customized workforce training for new companies,
existing companies operating for three years or less or companies
expanding current operations. Two types of training assistance are
provided – pre-employment skill development and on-the-job skill
improvement.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TAX CREDIT
Provides tax credits for research and development activities from
8 percent to 20 percent depending on the employment base of
the company.
Angel investment credit
Provides tax credits for early stages of investment in Louisiana-based
start-up businesses by allowing an accredited investor to receive a
50 percent tax credit - divided into portions of 10 percent over five
years–on personal income or corporate franchise tax liabilities owed to
the state.
QUALITY JOBS PROGRAM
Rebates up to 6 percent of a qualifying company’s
gross annual payroll associated with new jobs created
by a project for up to 10 years.
Florida Marine Transporters, Inc. Simulator
Pavestone Company
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Rapid Response Fund
Makes major awards to a business that has an economic
development project that can potentially create and/or retain jobs
in the state of Louisiana.
Major Projects Development Authority
Allows for major awards for significant capital
projects. Funding uses include land acquisition,
development, planning, financing and
construction.
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aggressive business Incentives
Programs
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Gilsbar, Inc.
Lakeshore Harbor Boardwalk Concept
“I am a third generation
St. Tammanian. I left for a
short while to attend college,
but knew I would return
to pass on this wonderful
heritage to my children. I’m
proud to be a native of St.
Tammany. I just love it.”
-Zondra White Jones
Group Sales Manager
St. Tammany Tourist and
Convention Commission
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Retention and modernization program
Provides tax exemptions and/or tax equalization to existing Louisiana
companies to encourage the modernization of operations.
rail rolling stock tax exemption
Offers tax incentives to companies to encourage the manufacturing
and repair of rail rolling stock within the state of Louisiana.
Entertainment Incentives
Film Industry Development Credit
Encourages further investments by the film industry to foster a
permanent industry in Louisiana. This program focuses on instate investment, encourages Louisiana-based infrastructure and
proposes an optional credit, refundable by the state at a discounted
value. For producers, this legislation makes the program easier to
utilize while maintaining financial value.
The St. Tammany Economic
Development Foundation:
• Coordinates State &
Federal Incentives
• Provides Site Selection
Services
• Maintains Current
Demographic
Information
• Facilitates Revolving Loan
Fund
• Publishes St. Tammany
Economic Trends Report
Digital media credit
Encourages creation of a thriving video game development industry
in Louisiana. Under this program, video game developers earn a 20
percent tax credit against their expenditures in Louisiana in return
for a commitment to a presence in Louisiana for the long term,
as well as development of relationships with and curriculums at
Louisiana universities.
Sound recording credit
Encourages major record companies to record at Louisiana studios.
The incentive creates a refundable 10,15 or 20 percent tax credit for
recording projects or infrastructure investment, with an annual cap
on program costs and a maximum period of usage.
For more information, visit
our web site at www.stedf.
org or call (985) 809-7874.
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Aerial View of Eastern St. Tammany (Slidell Area) over Lakeshore Estates
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Kevin Davis, Parish President