Correction: Okaloosa County Commissioners voted 4-0 to approve a public hearing on this tax break.

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Edits to the story to make it accurate have been italicized.

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Okaloosa County Commissioners voted 5-0 today to approve a block of items that included a public hearing to grant a property tax break worth about $300,000 over ten years to a local aviation company – with some caveats. 

The board approved the public hearing for a tax exemption for The Gulf Air Group – which is based at the Bob Sikes Airport in Crestview, Florida – in exchange for the local companyโ€™s word it would create 55 new jobs in the area and keep the 102 people it has employed on the payroll for the length of the 10-year deal.

According to the Okaloosa County Meeting Agenda Packet, the company plans to hire new personnel at an average wage of $89,000 annually. 

The company plans to also build more than $16 million in infrastructure, including a 57,000 square foot hangar, a 3,000 square foot warehouse for inbound and outbound cargo, a 10,500 square foot turboprop hangar, and a 3,750 square foot metal shop next to the hangar. 

The company would have a year from executing its lease at Bob Sikes Airport to begin construction on the improvements and a total of 30 months to complete all buildings. 

The County can pass the tax break for the company, thanks to a 2014 referendum that allowed the county commissioners to exempt businesses from taxation under a certain set of rules.

A plane involved in Gulf Air Group's Services

More About Gulf Air Group

The Gulf Air Group is a contractor for multi-mission large aircraft solutions for various needs worldwide.ย 

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According to their website, they marry several areas of aviation expertise to help their clients achieve their goals. They hold a CFR Part 125 operating certificate and a Part 145 repair station license from the Federal Aviation Administration.ย 

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Theyโ€™ve been in business for over 25 years and are based in Okaloosa County.ย 

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The company lists its president as Tim Rhyne.

Gulf Air Group's Logo
The Logo of Gulf Air Group, which is an aviation company based in Crestview, Florida.

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