GOED official talks opportunities, incentives for businesses at chamber luncheon series

By Mathew Baron | [email protected]

As part of the Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce Education Luncheon Series, an effort to bring business and government together, attendees saw presentations at Bluffdale City Hall from America First Bank and Dane Ishihara from the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development. 

While America First Bank presented information about getting loan forgiveness on Paycheck Protection Program loans where it was noted that PPP forgiveness rate is high. 

There were two presenters. First, there was America First Bank. Second, was a presentation on Go Utah Funding Opportunities And Incentives.

Ishihara is the representative from the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development. He answers questions on the Utah economy from that come to the Twitter account, @BusinessUtah. 

Ishihara said he asked GOED if he could present to the chamber. “It was a good opportunity to actually meet in front of people again.”

He came to Bluffdale to discuss changes in opportunities for businesses statewide. Ishihara pointed attendees to resources, such as title 63 in the state code, that covers new programs including motion picture incentives, outdoor recreation, taxes and tourism.  

The governor's office has been working overtime to get all the changes and opportunities to the state website. They have new business resources, business.utah.gov/business-resources, and money to support these programs for a number of years. Ishihara’s job is also to get the word out on new grants and programs including the Immigration Assistance.

Ishihara points to one specific program that he is most proud of. “There's been a lot of local and national interest in the Office of Regulatory Relief, being the first of its kind in the country, where companies and individuals can tell you state regulations they think are overburdensome. They can apply for an exemption of up to two years of that particular regulation.”