Assemblyman Das Williams, D-Carpinteria, on Tuesday announced that more than $800,000 in tax credits have been awarded to Deckers Outdoor Corp. through the California Competes Tax Credit program.

The program, created through the passage of Assembly Bill 93 in 2013, awards tax credits to businesses that want to locate in or stay and grow in California. Assemblymember Williams voted in favor of the program.

“I am confident that Deckers Outdoor Corporation will make the necessary investments to contribute to California’s ongoing economic growth,” Williams said. “Most importantly, this tax credit will give Deckers Outdoor Corporation the opportunity to increase local jobs, and continue investing in our community.”

Deckers Outdoor Corp. is a footwear design and marketing and distribution company. The company’s facilities, which are located in Moreno Valley and Goleta, had a net increase of 125 full-time employees.

Over its 40-year history, Deckers has built a reputation based on innovation, attention to quality, a collaborative workplace culture and a strong commitment to serving the local community. A leader in developing a consumer-friendly, Omni-Channel shopping experience, Deckers constantly engages with its customers in an effort to better understand and satisfy their evolving preferences and expectations. The Company’s flagship store in Goleta is viewed as an industry innovation lab for testing new ideas aimed at elevating the retail experience.

Businesses interested in the program can apply through the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (Go-Biz), who then negotiates the credit before it is approved by a California Competes Committee.

More than $20 million in tax credits were awarded to California businesses in the 2013-14 fiscal year, and more than $150 million will be available in the 2014-15 fiscal year. Twenty-five percent of the credits are reserved for small businesses.

“The California Competes program may be the difference between businesses staying or leaving California,” Williams said. “I encourage more of them in the district to apply.”

— Jeannette Sanchez-Palacios is the district director for Assemblyman Das Williams.