An editorial from The Exponent Telegram
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — On Friday, Procter & Gamble broke ground on a $500 million manufacturing plant near Martinsburg that is expected to employ up to 700 people.
It is exciting news for West Virginia, as competition for factories that employ that many people is fierce.
To sweeten the deal, the state agreed to pay $8.5 million for road and utility development. And there are believed to be other incentives, although economic development officials aren’t overly talkative about deals cut with businesses.
“I would argue that, regardless of the company, we have some responsibility,” state Commerce Secretary Keith Burdette told the Charleston Gazette-Mail.
“I don’t expect them to build a road to their plant. I don’t expect them to build utilities for their plant. I think that is the state’s responsibility, and we stepped up and said we would make sure all that is taken care of,” Burdette said.
In light of the number of good-paying jobs expected to be created, that is understandable.
But there are times when the state’s tax incentive programs don’t pan out, costing taxpayers money in the long run…
