FOX CROSSING, WI (WTAQ) – The deadline for a vote on an important tax incentive bill is looming this week, but some officials are arguing that’s too soon.
Kimberly-Clark has given the Senate until Sunday to vote on the $100-million tax incentive bill that’s aimed at keeping the company’s facility in Cold Spring open.
Some officials though, have their eyes set on a strategic date in the future.
“I’m asking the company to extend the deadline for the legislature to act upon immediately after the November 6 election,” says Neenah Mayor Dean Kaufert.
Presently there are about 500 people that work at the Cold Spring facility and Union President Dave Brockheimer is concerned about the ramifications if this bill dies.
“The proposed plan to close the facility puts hundreds of daily supporting jobs at risk, not only the jobs of my union brother or sisters, but my colleagues that are deemed white collar workers,” says Kimberly-Clark local union President Dave Brockheimer.
In addition to hundreds of jobs, the facility brings other factors to the area.
“It also is a major consumer of our utilities, specifically sewer and water,” said the Village of Fox Crossing President, Dale Youngquist.
The bill has already passed the Assembly but concern about the bill dying stems from the fact that presently there aren’t enough Republican votes to pass the bill in the Senate.
“Right now we have no Democrats in the state senate that are willing to come forward and support this,” explains State Senate Republican Roger Roth from Appleton. “That’s why we’re not able to schedule a vote before November 6th.”
While the process of keeping the Cold Springs facility open is ongoing, it’s still likely that the Neenah Nonwovens plant will shut down.
