(1) Any enterprise owning or operating a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f) (xviii) is allowed a job tax credit for taxes imposed by Section 27-7-5 equal to Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) annually for each net new full-time employee job for a period of ten (10) years from the date the credit commences. The credit shall commence on the date selected by the enterprise; provided, however, that the commencement date shall not be more than two (2) years from the date the project becomes fully operational. For the year in which the commencement date occurs, the enterprise must select a date on which it has at least four hundred fifty (450) full-time employees subject to the Mississippi income tax withholding. From that date to the end of the year, the credit will be determined based on the remaining monthly average of full-time employees subject to the Mississippi income tax withholding. For each year thereafter, the number of new full-time jobs created shall be determined by calculating the monthly average number of full-time employees subject to the Mississippi income tax withholding for the year. For every year subsequent to the year the commencement date occurs, the credit is not allowed for any year in which the overall monthly average number of full-time employees subject to the Mississippi income tax withholding falls below the minimum jobs requirement provided in Section 57-75-5(f) (xviii). The State Tax Commission shall adjust the credit allowed each year for the net new employment fluctuations.

(2) For the first five (5) years in which a tax credit is claimed under this section, any tax credit claimed but not used in any taxable year may be carried forward for five (5) consecutive years from the close of the tax year in which the credits were earned. For the remainder of the ten-year period, any tax credit claimed under this section but not used in any taxable year may be carried forward for three (3) consecutive years from the close of the tax year in which the credits were earned. The credit that may be utilized each year shall be limited to an amount not greater than the total state income tax liability of the enterprise that is generated by, or arises out of, the project.

(3) The tax credits provided for in this section shall be in lieu of the tax credits provided for in Section 57-73-21 and any enterprise utilizing the tax credit authorized in this section shall not utilize the tax credit authorized in Section 57-73-21.