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| City Council Approves Gates Incentives |
Some items Gates Corporation says they needed in order to expand their plant and bring in nearly 90 new jobs have been approved by the Galesburg City Council, but not everyone likes them.
Aldermen Monday night approved lending Gates space in the old National Guard Armory to store equipment needed for the expansion for a six-month period. They also approved a $50,000 employer training grant that the city has budgeted for.
Aldermen unanimously approved it, but not everyone liked it. Like resident John Stout.
"I live in Galesburg, I pay real estate taxes, all the businesses that have business in Galesburg, pay real estate taxes," Stout said. "Gates come in here roughly 40 years ago, and the reason why they built over Knoxville-- they didn't want to pay city taxes."
"So all of a sudden we are going to give the people that don't live in Galesburg money?"
Many Gates employees do live in Galesburg, and officials say even those that don't do contribute to the local economy.
A retired Gates employee, First Ward Alderman Ken Goad, said the plant has used -- and paid for -- city utilities like water for the entire 50 years they've been in existence, so they deserve to get something back from the city.
Gates officials say over 270 people have already applied for the jobs being made available by the expansion. Mayor Sal Garza projected that number to end up being in the thousands.
(Galesburg Mayor Sal Garza shakes hands with Gates Galesburg Plant Manager Doug Krause Monday night. WGIL News story and photo by Will Stevenson.) |
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| 03 27 12 by Newsroom |
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