The announcement today that Mack Trucks is relocating its headquarters from Allentown, PA to the Triad prompts an interesting question.
We’re incentives needed for them to move?
NC awarded the company $8.5 million in JDIG welfare for the relocation. But if you look at the statements from Mack Truck executives, it almost sounds like they didn’t even ask for it. From the W-S Journal:
He said he thinks that the company looked at a variety of factors,
including a productive labor force at Volvo Trucks [read: non UAW], the ease of doing
business in this area [read: right-to-work], a good business climate and quality of life, and
a large, young and well-educated population because of the Triad’s
colleges and universities.Efforts to attract Mack Trucks were not discussed with government or
economic-development groups in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.
The move seemed logical for Mack Trucks to consolidate efforts with its sister division – Volvo Trucks. Combine that with NC’s friendlier labor environment, and it appears bribing the company with $8.5 million of your tax dollars wasn’t really necessary.
But, if no incentives, then the state doesn’t get to issue the press release announcement. And we know only government can take credit for creating jobs, right?
See, they’re "doing something" about the economy.
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