Most Kansas counties are now in program offering incentives to draw out-of-staters to rural places

A Kansas program designed to boost rural populations by giving tax incentives and help repaying student loans to people moving in from out of state will add 23 more counties to the program in 2014, bringing the total number of counties to 73 of the state's 105 counties. The Rural Opportunity Zones program had been focused on the western part of the state, but will now add more counties in other parts of Kansas, Brent Wistrom reports for The Wichita Eagle. (Photo by Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Center: Fort Scott, Kansas)

"The program abates income taxes for up to five years for anyone who lived outside of Kansas for more than five years, hasn't earned more than $10,000 in Kansas-based income for five years and moves into an opportunity zone county," Wistrom reports. "Eighty-three taxpayers have claimed the Rural Opportunity Zone tax credit on their 2012 tax returns, with $234,000 in credit claimed."

Wistrom adds, "In many of the counties, people can also get up to $15,000 worth of student loans repaid if they recently moved into a rural county, got a degree and have remaining student loan debt." At least 864 people from 39 states have applied for the student-loan repayment; 510 have been approved, while 125 more are pending. (Read more)

Sparsely populated counties, such as Clay, population 8,500, are pleased to be included in the program. "Clay County commissioners are considering signing on for the student-loan program, which requires the county to match any loan repayment with the state of Kansas," reports the Clay Center Dispatch.  Economic Development Group director Lori Huber told the Dispatch, “I think it’s a great opportunity. And I’m glad Clay County is now being able to be included in it.”

Bourbon County, pop. 15,000, and Grant County, pop. 8,000, were among those added. Grant County Economic Development Director Bob Dale said in a press release, "Grant County commissioners enthusiastically passed the resolution to participate in the student-loan repayment option at their first opportunity, and here at Economic Development we already have a ROZ inquiry that looks promising to bring us a new restaurant. It is a great program for rural Kansas," Laurie Sisk reports for The Fort Scott Tribune. (Counties with stars have signed up for the Student Loan Repayment Program.)