Jefferson County approves tax abatement for Wisconsin firm planning $25 million facility
Loading...
Summary
The Jefferson County Commission approved a statutory tax abatement package for Wisconsin-based ITU Absorptive to build a 50,000-square-foot facility at the Jeff Matmakala Industrial Park, producing an estimated 36 jobs and projected returns to county and education funds.
The Jefferson County Commission on an agenda meeting approved a statutory tax abatement package for ITU Absorptive, a Wisconsin-based company planning to invest just under $25 million to build a new 50,000-square-foot facility at the Jeff Matmakala Industrial Park and to create 36 jobs paying an average wage just under $30 per hour.
County economic development staff said the company requested sales-and-use tax relief on construction materials and equipment and a 10-year noneducational property tax abatement. Staff presented an economic-impact summary showing an estimated return to the county general fund of about $522,000 and about $1.4 million to education over the period analyzed.
Jeff, a county economic development staff member, described the project as the company’s first location in Alabama and said it won the project over bids from three other states. Hotel Phillips, identified as a representative of the Jefferson County Economic Development Authority, told commissioners the company is a long-established firm (founded in 1908) and plans to use local contractors where possible.
Commission discussion included brief questions about the company’s operations and confirmation that the use would be light industrial with no heavy emissions. Staff said the company initially received construction bids roughly 30% higher than expected, which contributed to the need for the abatement assistance.
A motion to approve the abatement was made and seconded; the meeting record shows the motion carried after the ayes were called. The staff packet provided to commissioners included the project summary and the county’s economic-impact analysis.
The county indicated the abatement and lot sale are linked: the county will receive payment back upon sale of the lot. No specific ordinance number, formal resolution text, or vote tally by named commissioners was recorded in the transcript.
