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States are offering incentives to encourage remote workers to relocate

Oklahoma is offering $11,000 for new residents
Posted at 6:17 PM, Jun 08, 2021
and last updated 2021-06-08 19:17:22-04

MILWAUKEE — COVID-19 changed lifestyles, allowing people to work from anywhere in the country.

Studies show the workforce permanently working remotely is expected to double after the pandemic, from 16% to 34%.

Some areas are trying to capitalize on that by offering incentives for you to move.

On Tuesday, Milwaukee's Zoning and Neighborhood Development Committee held a meeting to ask the Department of City Development to come up with strategies to get people to move here.

Examples can be found across the country. Tulsa, Oklahoma is offering an incentive of $11,000 for new residents. West Lafayette, Indiana is offering $5,000.

West Virginia is giving out free outdoor passes to parks and recreation in addition to cash.

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Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce Senior Vice President Steve Baas doesn't know if Milwaukee would ever make offers like these, but feels we don't need to.

"You can't buy long-term loyalty, and Milwaukee is a community that inspires that sort of stickiness, that sort of loyalty," Baas said.

He adds as the market shifts to remote, Milwaukee is pretty competitively in the fight for those workers.

Visit Milwaukee Communications Director Claire Koenig said the cost of living, along with the amenities, makes Milwaukee attractive to families and young people.

"There are so many countries represented here and expressed through our art scene, through our dining scene," Koenig said.

Baas and Koenig both agree when it comes to picking the next place to live, Milwaukee is a big, small city you can't pass on.

"We have all the amenities of a major metropolis, but we have a lot of the lifestyle niceties of a smaller and tighter community," Baas said.

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