Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Don't sell the farm

SO MANAGERS FROM Quincy Compressor are in town this week to meet with local officials. The plant employs 152 people and might be shut down, with the work moved to Alabama. Click here for the Whig story.

I commend the city and the local "task force" for meeting with the managers. We can't afford to lose the good jobs like this and anything we can do, within reason, to keep the plant here is a good idea.

Where the slope gets slippery is "within reason." I don't want this plant to close. But this is a business decision, and I seriously doubt the managers care much about Quincy or what happens to the employees it lets go.

Mayor Kyle Moore says he can't talk about potential incentives yet during negotiations. But they better become public, and I'm curious what it will take to keep this company here.

If they stay, I could see other companies using the same tactic. "Hey! Let's tell little old Quincy that we are moving to another state. Then they'll give us all kinds of breaks and stuff. Cool!"

I'm a little guy who has little influence or say in the Quincy business world. There are much smarter people involved in this than me. But I would certainly hope we find the right balance between incentive and giving away the farm.


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