Businesses get OK for tax breaks

Thursday, Jan. 13, 2000 | 9:25 a.m.

The Ford Motor Credit Co. and SimpleSearch.com, a company offering an Internet search engine, were approved for tax breaks worth more than $600,000.

The Ford Motor Credit Co., which is establishing a call center for account services and collections in Henderson, will employ 525 people full time at an average hourly wage of $17.90, company representative John Strang said Wednesday. As many as 200 part-time employees will also be hired, he said.

The company, which has 141 branch offices, including one in Clark County, is developing eight regional centers to handle account collections and other functions for retail loan and lease customers, Strang said.

SimpleSearch.com is expanding its operations into North Las Vegas with 76 new people who will earn an average hourly wage of $15.87, company representatives told the commission.

The company, which is operating an Internet search engine designed for the casual user, began operations in April 1999 with four employees and now has 34.

Both companies applied for tax breaks available to companies that want to relocate or expand in Nevada, a program established by the Legislature as a way to help diversify the state economy.

With a unanimous vote of the commission, the Ford Motor Credit Co. will receive a sales and use tax break worth almost $400,000 on purchases needed to get the new office up and operating. The break on the business tax will equal $105,000 over four years, bringing the total benefits to the company of more than half a million dollars.

SimpleSearch.com will earn a sales tax break of $83,680 and a business tax break worth $15,200 over four years for almost $100,000 in relief.