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RALEIGH The state House gave its final approval Wednesday to a tax incentive designed to lure an Apple Computer facility to North Carolina.
The bill, which lowers the tax the company would pay, must go back to the Senate since the House modified the Senate's version. The House approved the bill 80-34.
The House's changes limited the bill to apply only to one company and required that company to invest $1 billion within nine years.
State officials won't specify who they are trying to lure, but it is widely discussed that the company is Apple.
The company is considering the state for a data center, essentially a giant warehouse of computer servers, likely to run company services such as the iTunes music store and the application store for its popular iPhone.
The center would bring about 50 workers, although another 250 contractors could get jobs. The N.C. Department of Commerce was pushing the legislation.
The tax break would be worth $3 million a year at first, but could grow to $12.5 million a year.
Opponents in the House said they were dubious of the idea that without the incentive the company would locate in another state.
Rep. Paul Stam, an Apex Republican and the House minority leader, suggested an amendment that would require the company to sign a statement declaring that without the incentives the company would locate elsewhere.
Stam withdrew his amendment.
