The Port of New Orleans is set to regain its position as one of the main entryways for the billions of bananas imported to the United States each year, a windfall officials hope will create a few hundred new jobs and boost shipping container traffic in New Orleans by as much as 15 percent.Chiquita Brands is the old United Fruit Company, which once owned the governments of several Central American countries. My father was born in Honduras when his parents were visiting relatives there who worked for United Fruit.
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Jindal cited three types of incentives that eventually helped persuade the company to relocate. He said Louisiana will give Chiquita $11.3 million to help offset the company’s costs over the next 10 years. That grant will be performance-based, tied to the number of units the company actually ends up shipping through the port, with clawback provisions in case of shortfalls. (My emphasis)
Here's another.
AM Agrigen LLC, a Delaware company formed in 2013, has an option on 650 acres in St. Charles Parish as the site of a proposed $1.2 billion fertilizer plant.Great care must be taken by fertilizer plants to prevent air pollution and soil pollution. The plant will be located near the Mississippi River, the source of drinking water for a large population. Should any of the chemical containers used in the manufacturing process spring a leak, river water contamination would result. Further there is the danger of explosion and fire unless fertilizer plants are duly inspected and held accountable for maintenance of equipment and safe working conditions.
LED said it began working with AM Agrigen on the project in October 2012. To secure the project, Louisiana offered the company a performance-based $5.6 million grant to offset infrastructure costs of the project. AM Agrigen would receive help from the state’s LED FastStart workforce training program and is expected to use the state’s Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs. (My emphasis)
Louisiana's history of weak regulation and oversight of manufacturers is less than encouraging for citizens who live near the the construction site of the plant, but I hope for the best. I understand the need for well-paying jobs, but the jobs should not come at the cost of quality of life for those who live near the plant.
Photo from Wikipedia.
The magic words a Delaware company should be enough reason to say no. The only reason companies incorporate in Delaware is to avoid paying taxes.
ReplyDeleteIn fact this is abundantly clear from a very simple Google search. News reporting has Jindal making the announcement with the CEO of Agrigen, Mark VanderVoorde. Two entries down the search is VanderVoorde's LinkedIn profile as CEO of Agrigen - based in Houston, Texas.
If they won't pay tax, why the hell should they expect subsidy from taxpayers?
The free market is, all too often, not free, but rather welfare for corporations. At least some of us see exactly what's going on.
DeleteWould boycotting bananas help?
ReplyDeleteBananas are better than a fertilizer plant. I'm pleased for the jobs that will come with the bananas, but since Jindal pumps up the free market so often, I wonder why taxpayers have to pay Chiquita.
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