Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County approves application for VEGA's 10-year tax abatement for $57M expansion
Summary
McPherson County commissioners approved an application seeking a 10-year property tax abatement to support VEGA's $57 million expansion, which presenters said would add a 40,000 sq. ft. storage building and about 40 jobs; a public commenter urged limits on recurring abatements.
The McPherson County Board of Commissioners voted to approve an application for a 10-year property tax abatement tied to an expansion at VEGA’s McPherson facility.
Casey Morales, executive director of the McPherson Industrial Development Company, told the board the abatement would support a $57,000,000 expansion to build a 40,000-square-foot raw material storage facility. “It will free up space for two additional lines,” Morales said. Jordan Rose, the site director for VEGA, said the building is a $17,000,000 project that will allow the company to add equipment and “anticipate adding 40 new jobs in McPherson over the next four years.”
A member of the public, Bobby Hulse, urged commissioners to limit long-term abatements and to ensure industry contributes to infrastructure costs. “Corporations say that they are citizens of the community…they need to pay their taxes like good citizens,” Hulse said. In response, Morales noted that VEGA’s facility is in the county (not the city of McPherson) and said the county — not the city — will receive much of the tax benefit. Morales summarized projected economic impacts presented in the packet: about $32,000,000 in estimated new personal income and roughly $19,000,000 in additional local retail sales over a 10-year period, and an estimated collective increase of about $380,000 in ongoing annual tax revenue after the abatement period ends.
The board’s action was to approve the application for the property-tax exemption, subject to final conditions and any additional requirements ordinarily applied before final abatement adoption. The meeting record shows the motion carried by voice vote.
