Stage set for Whirlpool incentives
(Comments)
Benton Harbor City Commission OKs measures that will allow company to seek tax breaks on $68 million office complex
By Julie Swidwa-H-P
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
BENTON HARBOR - A package of resolutions approved by the City Commission on Tuesday brings Whirlpool Corp. a step closer to getting incentives the company is seeking to build a $68 million world headquarters office complex in downtown Benton Harbor...
Not Fooled wrote on Sep 8, 2010 1:23 PM:
" Bringing "1.100workers into downtown Benton Harbor" should not be interpreted by the lay reader as adding 1,100 jobs! Come on people...who do really think Whirlpool is doing this for? First of all, Muhammed has absolutely no clue what he is talking about, and Jeff Noel is a smooth talking front man who summed up what Whirlpool is really about when he stated that "Whirlpool could have benefited from lower tax rates inother communities." The cart is driving the horse! Time for more "WE LOVE WHIRLPOOLl" signs in the area (lol). "
sick of the outsourcing wrote on Sep 8, 2010 1:35 PM:
" whirlpool, you want tax breaks - bring back the jobs sent to Brazil and Mexico! then we will talk tax breaks! "
Tom Joad wrote on Sep 8, 2010 2:46 PM:
" Small business is the engine that drives the American economy, not large multi-national corporations that outsource U.S. jobs and hide their profits in overseas tax shelters. These are the businesses that should be receiving tax breaks, not Whirlpool. "
Deb wrote on Sep 8, 2010 2:53 PM:
" No company that exports JOBS should benefit from any tax break. "
really wrote on Sep 8, 2010 9:16 PM:
" And this too shall pass. More lies and heart ache for the people of Benton Harbor. "
Oswald Spengler wrote on Sep 8, 2010 10:23 PM:
" Jeff Noel asks, "how do we attract new business so that over time we can lower the millage rate?"
Who is this "we", Jeff Noel? You don't run the city. It's not you who decides the tax rate.
Coming soon: Joseph Harris, Ron Carter and the commissioners lower taxes (pushed on apparently by Jeff Noel). Marcus Muhammad supports his vote with talking points from the Wall Street Journal op-ed page, Heritage Foundation, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Club For Growth.
Benton Harbor is getting weirder and weirder all the time. "
Nelly wrote on Sep 9, 2010 2:08 AM:
" The debt mongers and haters are in the house! While it is great point out the difference in the millage from one city to another, Mr Noel should also have mentioned the fact that the people of Benton Harbor subsidize public transport, airport, and utility services for those nice folks in Benton Township. WE pay more in taxes because we and (Niles) provide more services through the property tax levied.
Maybe if St Joe, St TWP, and Benton TWP all paid their fair share of the additional services provided their citizens, the rates would be much closer. "
Common Sense Rules Clarification wrote on Sep 9, 2010 8:05 AM:
" This is not about the WHR tax breaks as they are what they are but a desire to keep the debate accurate. While "common sense rules" is accurate in the fact that the U.S. has one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world, he/she fails to also acknowledge that we also have one of the most charitable set of allowances for tax credits, deductions, and write-offs which lowere to true effective level of that rate. Public policy is much more nuanced than what is discussed here which is unfortunate. Corporations are doign just fine from a tax standpoint and have teams of accountants and tax attorneys to ensure such. The area which really deserves attention is the tax burden of truelly small businesses. I bet if you look at it from a relative percetnage of revenue, they pay a far higher rate than larger companies. "
http://www.heraldpalladium.com/articles/2010/09/08/local_news/1888618.txt
