President Trump meets with state lawmakers to discuss ‘opportunity zone’ program roll out

NEXSTAR (WASHINGTON) – President Trump met with state lawmakers at the White House on Wednesday to discuss ways to help communities find investors to create jobs in their background.

The president says the economy is red hot.

“Private employers have added an average of 6,500 jobs every single day. Think of that, it’s amazing,” he said.

President Trump said businesses nationwide are looking for room to expand and a new program that creates so called “opportunity zones” uses tax breaks to encourage investment in distressed areas.

“It’s to help these distressed communities survive, but also thrive, and to encourage people to stay closer to home if they like,” said White House Advisor Kellyanne Conway.

The White House says these opportunity zones can be found in all 50 states and include at least 8,800 communities nationwide.

State and local leaders met with the president at the White House for a briefing on the program’s rollout.

“We’re starting to promote those zones throughout our state, trying to get investors to pool their money together,” said Mike Preston with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission.

The Trump administration says opportunity zones are meant to last and not be a short term investment that disappears with an economic downturn.