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Columbus Council Approves One Tax Break And Study Of Tax Break Policies

Columbus City Council last night approved a tax break for a California-based retailer to create 158 jobs in logistics and warehousing. San Francisco-based Huckberry Incorporated is getting a 3 year income tax break on the jobs created, which is worth an estimated 118 thousand dollars. Columbus Development Director Steve Schoeny says the firm will place the jobs in the Rickenbacker area.

Council also approved spending 150 thousand taxpayer dollars to hire an outside consultant to examine the city's tax incentive policies. Schoeny says the firm should have some recommendations to issue next year.

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The study was prompted by citizen outcry earlier this year over tax breaks given to profitable developers and companies like UPS that generate millions in annual profits. Council also approved a resolution condemning local islamophobia. Islamic advocacy groups and central Ohio's interfaith community say harassment and discrimination cases have skyrocketed this year and the resolution will hopefully promote acceptance and openness. Resolutions carry no legal weight and have historically been used to further the political aims of Council or some of its members. No discussion was held last night about a complaint  before the Ohio Civil Rights Commission over the police division's refusal to allow Islamic female officers to wear traditional head scarves.

Jim has been with WCBE since 1996. Before that he worked as a reporter at another Columbus radio station, and for three newspapers in Southwest Florida.
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