How do rural areas halt or slow population declines, being freshly reported in new census data? Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has an idea: He recently signed a bill that aims to attract new residents to some of the state's most rural counties. "His administration created a plan that targets 50 rural counties — pegged as rural opportunity zones, or ROZ — with a two-pronged approach for a five-year stretch," Rick Plumlee reports for The Wichita Eagle. (Eagle photo by Jaime Green)The first part of the incentive plan "waives state income taxes for tax years 2012-16 for those who relocate to one of the ROZ counties after having lived outside of the state for at least five years or having had a Kansas-source income of less than $10,000 for at least five years prior to moving," Plumlee writes. The second part, designed to bring younger people to designated rural areas, pays $3,000 a year — max $15,000 — towards student loans to college graduates moving to the targeted communities. The state and county would split loan payment costs, Plumlee reports.
"Graduates are sometimes reluctant to move to a rural area because jobs there don't usually pay as high as in urban areas," Brownback said in a ceremony at Wichita State University. "But combine this with student loan paydown and they may be able to make it work." (Read more)
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