N.C. leaders at odds over jobs
Friday, August 31st, 2007
By Chris Fitzsimon
Gov. Mike Easley vetoes legislation and offers his own plan to ensure that companies don’t cut jobs after getting incentives
Jonathan B. Cox, Staff Writer North Carolina leaders want to open a new front in the battle for jobs by shifting attention — and money — to saving existing ones. First they’ve got to resolve a fight over how to do it.
On Thursday, Gov. Mike Easley vetoed legislation approved by the General Assembly to push his own plan. The legislature in late July passed a bill that would give Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. as much as $40 million to upgrade a plant in Fayetteville. Goodyear could have gotten the money even if it cut 750 jobs.
"I cannot, in good conscience, pay $40 million of taxpayers’ money to a company to lay off 700 workers," Easley said at a news conference to announce his veto, his eighth since taking office in 2001. "We just can’t do that as a state and act like we have any sense."
The governor touted his own proposal, which would give grants to large manufacturers that agree to upgrade and maintain all existing jobs. He said that the plan, which he wants the legislature to take up when it reconvenes in May, would require more accountability. Based on state data, Easley’s proposal could benefit, at most, six North Carolina factories. (more…)
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