Lasting lures

We?d like to be excited that Gov. Brownback has signed the Rural Opportunity Zones legislation he sent to the Capitol shortly after taking office. The bill, passed by the Legislature, intends to use tax breaks to lure people to move to Kansas counties with decreasing populations, Marion County among them. For five years, the new residents won?t have to pay state income tax, and some will qualify for forgiveness of student-loan debt.

For Marion County and other qualifying counties, Brownback?s program is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, but it may not be much better than a pig in a poke. The tax breaks are nice, but it seems to us the incentive people really need to move their families to a new location is the promise of dependable, well-paying jobs. This is the real challenge facing rural counties in this state. Hometown folks will need to take the initiative for that, not Topeka. ?DR

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