New Toyota Plant: Congratulations Blue Springs (Meridian, Tupelo: apartment complexes, insurance, crime rate)

[Chimpie]

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/state/16794236.htm (broken link)

Can anyone tell me about the Blue Springs, Tupelo area?

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Chimpie

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/state/16794236.htm (broken link)

Can anyone tell me about the Blue Springs, Tupelo area?

The State of Mississippi is giving Toyoyta about $150,000 per job to build that plant in Mississippi. I wonder how I can get ahold of that. I mean, if the State of Mississippi wants to pay me $150,000 PER JOB to start a business in Mississippi, I'll do it tomorrow. And what about other companies that want to do business in Mississippi? Does this mean they're also entitled to CHA-CHING cash in on Mississippi's desperation?

I used to live near Blue Springs (Pontotoc), and while that area can definitely use an extra 2,000 jobs, I'm just not one of those who thinks that a company should be lavished with gifts and cash to open up a factory. Other ancillary jobs will be created, but many of them will be at existing suppliers in Tennessee and Alabama.

But Tupelo isn't a bad place. It's got decent schools, decent shopping, and it's got some nice neighborhoods. It's over 100 miles away from the nearest big city and big airport (Memphis). Like many places in Mississippi, the crime rate is surprisingly high for such a small town, but compared to big cities it's not too bad.

I just feel sorry for the good people of the Mississippi Delta who, once again, have seen fortune pass them by. And what happened to Meridian, which was supposedly going to land a Kia plant a year or so ago? Why didn't the state encourage Toyota to go there? Oh well.

[Chimpie]

There is going to be more than 2,000 jobs created.

I was present for the building of the Indiana plant and stayed on for a total of three years. There were at least 2,000 construction jobs that last not only for the original plant but also the expected expansion. Then you're looking at 2,000 team members for round one, 1,500 to 2,000 for suppliers, which almost all were located on or near the property for the San Antonio plant, then with the expansion you're looking at another 2,000 team members and another 1,000 or so supplier positions. So not including the construction jobs, within five years you're looking at 6 - 8,000 jobs being created.

Now, add in what that is going to do for the area. New apartment complexes, new subdivisions, stores, schools, etc.

Look out NE Mississippi. You're region is going to explode over the next five years.

[jetjockey75]

Originally Posted by JMT

And what happened to Meridian, which was supposedly going to land a Kia plant a year or so ago? Why didn't the state encourage Toyota to go there? Oh well.

I have also wondered about that. Or why not the Golden Triangle, near Columbus, Starkville, and West Point (where, by the way, Sara Lee is leaving 2000 people without a job next month). There are two existing TVA-certified megasites at the Golden Triangle Airport with infrastructure already in place (and an automotive-grade steel plant nearing completion); there is absolutely NOTHING at Wellspring, and from what I have seen, site preparation there is going to be a nightmare. This whole thing smells of back-room political deals between the Republican "guvnor" and some key northeast MS Democratic lawmakers. However, on the bright side, although the plant is being built in the absolute *wrong* location, at least it is coming to SOMEWHERE in the state.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by jetjockey75

I have also wondered about that. Or why not the Golden Triangle, near Columbus, Starkville, and West Point (where, by the way, Sara Lee is leaving 2000 people without a job next month). There are two existing TVA-certified megasites at the Golden Triangle Airport with infrastructure already in place (and an automotive-grade steel plant nearing completion); there is absolutely NOTHING at Wellspring, and from what I have seen, site preparation there is going to be a nightmare. This whole thing smells of back-room political deals between the Republican "guvnor" and some key northeast MS Democratic lawmakers. However, on the bright side, although the plant is being built in the absolute *wrong* location, at least it is coming to SOMEWHERE in the state.

I agree, it sure sounds like there was some back-door politiking going on. And the fact that the governor of Alabama was in favor of this deal is also suspicious; evidently many of the ancillary jobs will be in Alabama, not Mississippi.

And if Mississippi can afford these lavish gifts to bring Toyota to Wellspring, why can't they do more to help rebuild the Coast?

And why didn't Mississippi offer Oreck $150,000 per job to keep its factory on the Coast? Or, like you said, Sara Lee in the Golden Triangle?

And whether this will bring "thousands" of new residents is highly questionable. The AP is reporting that the main reason Toyota went to Mississippi instead of Chattanooga or Arkansas is because there are already thousands of unemployed workers in the Tupelo area from all the shuttered furniture factories; Toyota won't have to do much to recruit people to move there for work since they're already there.

This stinks for you folks in Mississippi who are already paying high taxes, and now your taxes are going to bribe a rich Japanese company to set up shop.

[jetjockey75]

Originally Posted by JMT

And the fact that the governor of Alabama was in favor of this deal is also suspicious; ....... and now your taxes are going to bribe a rich Japanese company to set up shop.

The word on the street is that Gov Riley of Alabama supported the Tupelo deal in order to get the support of Gov Barbour of MS for a new steel plant in Mobile (kinda funny that Barbour would support a huge new steel plant in AL to compete with the new one in Columbus).

And for corporate welfare, unfortunately that looks like the wave of the future. States are so desperate for manufacturing jobs that they are going to the highest bidder. It turns out that Mississippi is paying twice as much per job as Georgia had to pay for its new Kia plant. Go figure.

[Tama]

Really-I can't believe the negativism over such a great coup! Who cares if it is near Alabama-and not here but there? This will be a boon for Mississippi and others will follow. It will spiral. Toyota will give some big money to the local school district as well. It is something that will keep on giving thus a good investment. Coast repair is something else. That is another issue entirely. Taxpayers don't foot the bill for private losses. That comes from insurance and perhaps loans. I am sorry about the Delta but I doubt if it meets the criteria of skilled workers and quality of life for the future employees. And many business are offered this type of incentive to come to an area.Tax breaks and support are common. It is for the general good. Come on, folks---Haley Barbour deserves kudos and it is an economic plus for everybody

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Tama

Really-I can't believe the negativism over such a great coup! Who cares if it is near Alabama-and not here but there? This will be a boon for Mississippi and others will follow. It will spiral. Toyota will give some big money to the local school district as well. It is something that will keep on giving thus a good investment. Coast repair is something else. That is another issue entirely. Taxpayers don't foot the bill for private losses. That comes from insurance and perhaps loans. I am sorry about the Delta but I doubt if it meets the criteria of skilled workers and quality of life for the future employees. And many business are offered this type of incentive to come to an area.Tax breaks and support are common. It is for the general good. Come on, folks---Haley Barbour deserves kudos and it is an economic plus for everybody

Building roads, providing electricity, improving sewage: THOSE are the incentives that companies need to bring in industry. But writing a check for $150,000 per prospective employee is ludicrous. And where will it stop? Mississippi is digging itself into a big financial hole; if they'll give Toyota that kind of cash, then if Mississippi hopes to lure any other manufacturer to the state it'll have to start shelling out some major bucks. And whether it's worth it is highly questionable. It might help the people in Pontotoc and Tupelo, but how will it help the poor saps in Vicksburg or Meridian whose tax dollars are going to this corporate welfare?

[JMT]

Originally Posted by jetjockey75

The word on the street is that Gov Riley of Alabama supported the Tupelo deal in order to get the support of Gov Barbour of MS for a new steel plant in Mobile (kinda funny that Barbour would support a huge new steel plant in AL to compete with the new one in Columbus).

And for corporate welfare, unfortunately that looks like the wave of the future. States are so desperate for manufacturing jobs that they are going to the highest bidder. It turns out that Mississippi is paying twice as much per job as Georgia had to pay for its new Kia plant. Go figure.

And luring these large car companies is no guarantee of huge financial windfall. Tuscaloosa hasn't experienced any sort of population boom since Mercedes built its plant there. And the then-governor of Alabama was swiftly defeated because people in Alabama were aghast at how much cash the state of Alabama had to shell out to a wealthy manufacturer such as Mercedes.

[Tama]

What am I missing here? It is my understanding that Toyota is putting over one billion into this plant and MS is offering less three million for land acquisition, training, infrastructure, and tax incentives. That is calculated as a per job ratio--not writing a check for each job. It is less than the Nissan plant got. Was that a mistake, too??