Blytheville Courier News: Quorum Court OKs Funds for Big River Steel Project
03/28/2013 - Approval was given by the Mississippi County Quorum Court Tuesday night to appropriate $14.5 million in county economic development tax funds for its part in the state's incentive deal with Big River Steel, but officials emphasized that if the state of Arkansas or private investors pull out of the deal, the county's money would no longer be committed.
Approval was given by the Mississippi County Quorum Court Tuesday night to appropriate $14.5 million in county economic development tax funds for its part in the state's incentive deal with Big River Steel, but officials emphasized that if the state of Arkansas or private investors pull out of the deal, the county's money would no longer be committed.
Justices addressed a record crowd at the Blytheville courthouse, along with representatives from both Nucor and Big River.
Speaking on behalf of Nucor was Blytheville native Tyler McGuire, who has worked at Nucor for 18 years. McGuire emphasized the points that Nucor has been making over the past few weeks regarding the Big River Project -- namely that the companies will be direct competitors and that Nucor does not wish for its employees' tax dollars to fund such a project.
"Those that are proposing the Big River Steel project, certain elected officials and the media have portrayed Nucor as 'entitled,' as if we think we should be the only company to produce steel in the state of Arkansas," she said. "This is an inaccurate depiction. I think I can speak for my teammates when I say that we believe in capitalism. We are not afraid of competition. We are, however, very concerned when our elected officials deem it acceptable to use our tax dollars to subsidize a direct competitor. We are concerned with your apparent lack of understanding of the industry that feeds our families…"
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