The Washington State Community Empowerment Zone Program is a competitive program intended to spur neighborhood revitalization and reinvestment. To receive state CEZ designation, the six eligible jurisdictions identified targeted neighborhoods,undertook a planning and public involvement process, and adopted a five-year plan to guide resource investments.
The CEZ designation enables qualified businesses to apply to the Washington State Department of Revenue for sales tax deferrals and business and occupation tax credits for a variety of projects. The statutory authority for the CEZ program is found in Chapter 43.31C of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW).
Existing state CEZs are located in: