The participants of the second session of the Krosno Business Council (6^th September), held at the Krosno Business Incubator, discussed property tax exemptions for investors and issues related to the city's pursuit of energy self-sufficiency.

The Krosno Business Council is a 20-member advisory panel appointed by Krosno Mayor Piotr Przytocki. It is composed of entrepreneurs representing various sectors of the economy, representatives of business organizations and the Krosno State Academy of Applied Sciences.

The purpose of the Council is to jointly work out solutions for the development of entrepreneurship and public services for business, consult on the most important issues concerning the city's economic policy, and inform about the current needs of local entrepreneurs, informs Piotr Przytocki, Mayor of Krosno.

At its last meeting, the Council elected a Presidium from among its members, consisting of:

• President: Barbara Bartosik-Pękalska, CEO of Glob Cars Sp. z o.o.,
• Vice-president: Janusz Fic, CEO of the Krosno Municipality Holding
• Vice-president: Marek Kiełtyka, Senior Manager of the Guild of Miscellaneous Crafts in Krosno,
• Vice-president: Piotr Wietecha, Vice-President of the Management Board of Wietpol Aerospace Sp. z o.o. Sp.k.

The main part of the session was devoted to a discussion on the policy of property tax exemptions for investors.

Tax exemptions for investors creating new jobs have been applied in Krosno since 2014 under a resolution of the City Council, reports Dr. Tomasz Soliński, Deputy Mayor.– We want to review these rules and adapt them to the changing economic situation and new regulations. In addition to this, we intend to prepare an additional, separate program that would be attractive to strategic investors making large-scale investments, while contributing to retaining young people in our city and attracting new residents. We presented the Krosno Business Council with the current rules for granting tax exemptions to investors, as well as the preliminary assumptions for the draft of a new resolution on supporting large investments.  Council members made a great many comments and proposals. Most of them concerned placing appropriate emphasis on supporting businesses, regardless of size, that already operate in the city and provide jobs. Entrepreneurs, especially in the face of the current economic crisis, expect easy access to exemptions, including for industries that today cannot benefit from concessions. We will analyze all these voices and try to work out solutions that, on the one hand, will be a real support for investors, and, on the other hand, will allow us to build a city budget that allows for the implementation of pro-development investments and high-quality services for residents. These issues will certainly return at future meetings," stressed Dr. Tomasz Soliński.

The next part of the meeting focused on the city's energy policy.

Janusz Fic, CEO of Krosno Municipal Holding, presented the project of an integrated waste-energy system, in which 28 municipalities from southern Subcarpathia are participating. The system consists of activities implemented in the area of waste collection, waste processing and segregation, energy use of residues and local use of electricity. An important element of it will be a fuel-fired energy unit based on municipal waste sorting residues, currently under construction, with a thermal power of 6.4 MW and electrical power of 1.6 MW.

The CEO presented also information on the Krosno Energetic Cluster, which is co-formed by the Holding and the City of Krosno and the State Academy of Applied Sciences in order to build a local energy market.

Slawomir Juryś, CEO of JSystem Sp. z o.o. then presented the investment concept of the city’s energy transformation with a view to achieving self-sufficiency. It includes, among other things, thermal modernization of public buildings, multi-family and single-family residential buildings, renewable energy sources integrated into buildings, innovative energy infrastructure (e.g., Green Hydrogen production and storage, Green Hydrogen-based cogeneration), development and construction of new photovoltaic farms, heat storage facilities, as well as a central IT platform for managing energy infrastructure throughout the city.

The next session of the Krosno Business Council will be held in October this year.

Nomination of the Krosno Business Council is an element of the Krosno Institutional Development Plan, implemented within the project „We create+ We develop+ We activate+ We motivate+ We determine+ We change= KROSNO”. The project received funding from the Norwegian Financial Mechanism and the state budget.

The project „We create+ We develop+ We activate+ We motivate+ We determine+ We change= KROSNO” implemented as a part of the Local Development Programme, co-financed in 85 % from the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021 and in 15 % from the State Budget.

„Working together for a green, competitive and inclusive Europe"

The amount of funding received is 15,328,498.86 PLN. The beneficiary/lead partner is the Municipality of Krosno. The aim of the project is to comprehensively improve the quality of life in Krosno and better adapt Krosno's administration to the needs of its residents.

www.norwaygrants.pl

www.norwaygrants.org