Sec. 32-327. Definitions.
Sec. 32-327. Definitions. As used in sections 32-325 to 32-330, inclusive, 32-23ww and 32-23xx:
(1) "Act" means the Regional Economic Development Act.
(2) "Agency" means any regional economic development commission formed under sections 7-136 and 7-137, other regional development commission or corporation
formed under any other provision of the general statutes or any special act, any regional
planning agency organized under the provisions of chapter 127, regional council of
governments organized under sections 4-124i to 4-124p, inclusive, or any regional council of elected officials organized under the provisions of chapter 50 for planning and
implementation of regional economic development, except that for purposes of financial
assistance for greenways projects, "agency" means a municipality or other organizations.
(3) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development.
(4) "Eligible project" means (A) a public or private improvement or acquisition
which, in the sole judgment of the commissioner, will significantly enhance economic
diversification, stability, growth or scientific knowledge in the region where the project
is to be located, and includes a "business development project" as defined in subsection
(a) of section 32-222 or greenways projects or (B) an application for a grant under
section 32-23ww or 32-23xx. (i) In determining eligibility with regard to an application
submitted for an eligible project under subparagraph (A) of this subdivision before June
21, 1994, the commissioner shall also evaluate the project in accordance with a one-hundred-point scale as follows: Fifteen points based on such criteria as the commissioner
may from time to time establish, fifteen points for projects located in targeted investment
communities, up to twenty-five points for projects in regions where fifty per cent or
more of the member municipalities within any planning region participate and fifteen
points for every two thousand manufacturing jobs that the region has lost or, in the
judgment of the commissioner, is scheduled to lose between July 1, 1989, and July 1,
1996, up to a total of forty-five points. (ii) In determining eligibility with regard to an
application submitted for any eligible project under this subdivision on or after June 21,
1994, the commissioner shall also evaluate the project in accordance with a one-hundred-point scale as follows: Fifteen points based on such criteria as the commissioner may
from time to time establish, fifteen points for projects located in targeted investment
communities, up to twenty-five points for projects in regions where fifty per cent or
more of the member municipalities within any planning region participate and fifteen
points for every two thousand manufacturing jobs that the region has lost or, in the
judgment of the commissioner, is scheduled to lose between July 1, 1989, and July 1,
1996, up to a total of twenty-five points, and ten points if the project consists of an
application for a grant under section 32-23ww or 32-23xx, up to a total of twenty points.
(5) "Manufacturing jobs" means jobs at a business located, in whole or in part,
in Connecticut and classified in accordance with the standard industrial classification
system of the Bureau of Census of the United States Department of Commerce as belonging to a major industry group numbered 20 to 39, inclusive; a business engaged in
research and development directly related to manufacturing; a business engaged in the
significant servicing, overhauling or rebuilding of machinery and equipment for industrial use; or any establishment or auxiliary or operating unit thereof, as defined in the
Standard Industrial Classification Manual, which the commissioner determines will
materially contribute to the economy of the state by creating or retaining jobs, exporting
products or services beyond the state's boundaries, encouraging innovation in products
or services, adding value to products or services, or otherwise supporting or enhancing
existing activities that are important to the economy of the state.
(6) "Eligible project cost" means the total cost in dollars of an eligible project.
(7) "Financial assistance" means grants, extensions of credit, loans, other investments, or guarantees of any of the foregoing, or any combination thereof, or any guaranty
of any pool of such loans determined by the commissioner to be necessary or appropriate
to establish or maintain a secondary market for such loans.
(8) "Regional economic development plan" means a plan prepared by an agency
that identifies, and which may rank, in order of priority, eligible projects for which the
agency intends to apply for financial assistance under section 32-325, and includes an
economic development plan developed as contemplated by section 32-7.
(9) "Planning region" means any planning region of the state recognized by the
commissioner and established in connection with the development of any regional economic development plan.
(P.A. 93-382, S. 25, 69; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-2, S. 191, 203; P.A. 95-250, S. 1; 95-335, S. 6, 26; P.A. 96-211, S. 1,
5, 6.)
History: P.A. 93-382 effective July 1, 1993; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-2 applied definitions to Secs. 32-23ww and 32-23xx, amended Subdiv. (4) by including applications for grants under Sec. 32-23ww or 32-23xx in definition of "eligible
project", applying existing point scale to project applications submitted under Subpara. (A) before June 21, 1994, and
adding Subclause (ii) re point scale for project applications submitted on or after said date, repealed former Subdiv. (6) re
definition of "military installation jobs", and renumbered remaining Subdivs. accordingly, effective June 21, 1994; P.A.
95-250 and P.A. 96-211 replaced Commissioner and Department of Economic Development with Commissioner and
Department of Economic and Community Development; P.A. 95-335 amended Subdiv. (2) to include reference to
greenways projects and to include municipalities in definition of "agency" and amended Subdiv. (4) to include reference
to greenways projects, effective July 1, 1995.
Subdiv. (4):
Funds would clearly be available to plaintiffs under Regional Economic Development Act, as long as plaintiff applied
for the grant. 272 C. 14.