Caterpillar relocating to N. Little Rock (jobs!) (North Little Rock, Jonesboro: 2009, taxes)

[RogMar]

I still get an Illinois paper, courtesy of a sister who is thrilled to include me first hand in a dying state.

It is my general rule not to speak ill of another location, but to leave environs that I find fits like a too-small pair of new jeans, and let bygones be bygones.

However, the current Governer, and the unions, have driven most of the business out of there, and this time it's to AR's benefit.

They have a motor grader division in Decatur, IL that has been there over 50 years, and employs 1,000 people. They just decided to pack up, move to NLR, and spend 140 million to set it up for production, hiring 600 people to replace the 1,000.

Caterpillar plant, 600 jobs bound for North Little Rock*|*Arkansas News

http://www2.arkansasonline.com/news/...h-little-rock/


Now, they say that they're not discussing pay, but I will tell you this, having had friends work on that very line.......

It's going to be a whole lot *less* than they made in Decatur.

It's going to be a whole lot *more* than NLR folks are used to seeing.

In all this is great news for NLR.

I also might mention that for awhile, it seems like Jonesboro is adding a new industry every other week.

[ridicter]

This is great news; a few weeks old.

We've landed a few big manufacturing plants over the past year or two despite a bad economy.

And I wouldn't worry about Illinois dying. We stole a manufacturing plant. That just means our economies are geared differently--ours is relatively high in labor; theirs is relatively high in capital.

[RogMar]

Originally Posted by ridicter

This is great news; a few weeks old.

We've landed a few big manufacturing plants over the past year or two despite a bad economy.

And I wouldn't worry about Illinois dying. We stole a manufacturing plant. That just means our economies are geared differently--ours is relatively high in labor; theirs is relatively high in capital.

Well, Illinois is on it's knees.

The town I grew up in was over 100,000, and almost 100% industry. It thrived unbelievably for a long time.

But, as Mr. Zimmerman said, "The time's they are a changin'".

When one puts all their eggs in one basket, it's tough to remake your identity.

The state and the unions have made it a very unfriendly place to do business.

NO....I'm not union bashing or being critical. I'm just saying that as far as mitigating factors, teh attitude of, "I don't care what the economy is...we get ours first", may be good for the worker, but after awhile teh golden gooses back breaks.

Then you got the , "If you take a breath, we tax it" administration.

[strumpeace]

Originally Posted by RogMar

Then you got the , "If you take a breath, we tax it" administration.

I had no idea Mike Huckabee had been elected Governor of Illinois.

[northbound74]

Originally Posted by strumpeace

I had no idea Mike Huckabee had been elected Governor of Illinois.

I'm not defending Huckabee's record on taxes, but he was able to bring in more industry than his fellow "tax everything" governor, Bill Clinton ever did. Something about Arkansas' governors and taxes.
Part of the reason for the growth, of course, is the general trend toward the southeast for manufacturing, which wasn't yet in full swing before Huckabee came along. They can still say their stuff is built in the U.S. by moving down there and paying much less. Doesn't bother me any. Those rustbelt places made their own mess. It's unfortunate, because some of those areas are really nice in many ways.

[PurpleLove08]

http://www.aypn.org/pdf/MLRAREPORT.pdf

http://www.taskforce21.arkansas.gov/...report2008.pdf

[RogMar]

Originally Posted by northbound74

Doesn't bother me any. Those rustbelt places made their own mess. It's unfortunate, because some of those areas are really nice in many ways.

You are correct on both points.

They did make their own mess, and are now paying for it courtesy a big push from the current economy.

On another level, yes, they are nice areas.

My parents were both from southern states, and met in Illinois. Many of the towns downstate there, around Hwy 51, are filled with families that are rooted below the M-D line, and there has always been a lot of dedication to things like public park systems and historical preservation.

As time goes on, much like some of the threads on Arkansas, the children grow and leave, many of them moving back south. The amount of people that have deep ties to the Illinois area takes a deep dive, and moves to "tear down that old building" for a parking lot, or whatever, gets larger and larger.

Then comes the moaning of, "This use to be a charming place", and people move out.

Yep, lots more restaurants, stores, car lots, businesses, but less and less people to shop at them.

That's called "progress".

[ridicter]

Originally Posted by RogMar

Then comes the moaning of, "This use to be a charming place", and people move out.

Yep, lots more restaurants, stores, car lots, businesses, but less and less people to shop at them.

That's called "progress".

Oh please. I don't understand this bravado at all.

[RogMar]

Originally Posted by ridicter

Oh please. I don't understand this bravado at all.

It'll come to you.

Give it time.

[Probender]

Cat announced this morning they are laying off 25,000 employees. While you all get your 10 dollar an hour jobs thousand are losing jobs paying three times that much.
I bet you all feel great.