Several incentives programs are offered across the region.
Industrial development bonds provide low-cost financing to businesses seeking to expand operations or fund new projects. These
bonds have no prepayment penalty, are comprehensively funded,
and offer flexible ownership. On-the-job training provides cash
reimbursements of up to 50 percent of wages paid over a set training period for eligible new hires. And a work opportunity tax credit
gives up to $2,400 in tax credits to businesses for each qualifying
new employee hired.
California has no finished goods, raw material, or inventory
taxes; no mineral severance taxes; and no inheritance taxes. It
levies an 8.84 percent tax on corporations, 1. 5 percent tax on
S-corporations, and a 10.84 percent tax on banks and financial
services providers. It also levies a personal income tax of 1 percent to 9. 3 percent.
“The city’s location within Southern California and its
access to major interstates and railways will provide us
the ability to serve our customers much more efficiently,
and allow us to grow our business in the region,” said
Larry Young, president and CEO of Dr. Pepper/Snapple
Group, which has a hub in Victorville.
Logistics and Transportation
Any businessperson will tell you that location is paramount for
site decisions. “Hesperia’s I- 15 and Highway 395 sites are the Victor
Valley’s ‘prime location’ for light industry, office, and service-oriented
facilities,” according to Don Schjeldahl, vice president and director of
renewable energy strategies at the Austin Company.
Logistics companies are also well served by the Victor Valley’s
location. Its Southern California Logistics Airport is an 8,500-acre
development with the second longest runway in the country, and has
more than 100 companies stationed there to take advantage of its
direct access to global markets. A Customs Port of Entry is located at
SCLA. Its speedy, two-hour turnaround beats potentially lengthy
delays at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, and a foreign trade
zone can reduce or delay duties on imported items throughout the
Aspen Logistics: 660,000 square feet, 65 employees.
Function: third-party logistics provider for M&M/Mars.
region. The international airport is open 24/7.
Victor Valley is less than an hour from Ontario, one of Southern
California’s international airports, and the entire western region of
the United States is accessible by truck within 24 hours. The area
is also a boon to rail transporters. The region is a key destination
for rail cargo traffic to and from Southern California and the eastern region of the United States. The Union Pacific and BNSF main
lines provide rail service to the region.
The rail transport sector is also growing. BNSF’s third rail
through the Cajon Pass will boost capacity up to 150 trains per
day. The Southern California Rail Complex at SCLA will make available a 430-acre intermodal yard. And the new Hesperia Industrial
Rail Park at SCLA will be completed in 2011.
The region’s major cities and towns lie along Interstate 15, a key
transportation corridor and interstate commerce route that provides business access to the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles,
the largest consumer market in the nation with 18 million consumers; markets across the United States; and major markets
across the globe.
Solar Industry
With its location in sunny California, Victor Valley is poised to
become a leader in solar manufacturing and solar power. Companies are attracted to the region for its business-friendly development policies for solar companies, low operating costs, and close
