Wilton to negotiate new TIF district

July 18--A year after Barclaycard announced the expansion of its Wilton call center, town officials say they hope to offer tax breaks to the industrial complex that houses the business.

Selectmen are consulting with the town attorney and the attorney of Western Maine Development, owner of the industrial building, to create a tax increment financing district and credit enhancement agreement for the development site. The final TIF district would need to be approved by Wilton residents.

"I think we should have done this a long time ago," Selectman Tom Saviello said at a meeting the owners earlier this week. "This is our opportunity to say thank you."

Barclaycard announced last August that it is expanding and would bring 100 new jobs to its call center in the town by the end of the year and another 100 next year, increasing the total number of its Wilton employees to 350. The company said it would not disclose the pay rate for the new employees but said the jobs come with dental insurance, health insurance and a retirement plan.

Expansion of the call center, at 128 Weld Road, and creation of the new jobs came at a time when Sykes Enterprises, which ran another Wilton call center, had announced it was closing its local operation and laying off an undisclosed number of employees.

Selectwoman Tiffany Maiuri said the TIF district also allows the town to shelter taxes and keep its funding for the Mt. Blue Regional School District lower than if the TIF were not created.

Wilton already has two TIF districts: one covering the Comfort Inn & Suites and another encompassing downtown.

In a TIF district, as the developers expand and add value to the site, additional property taxes are sheltered in an account earmarked for economic development.

A credit enhancement agreement allows the town to take some of the money and direct it back to the business doing the development so it can work on additional development, according to the Maine Municipal Association.

Kaitlin Schroeder -- 861-9252

[email protected]

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