Wisconsin taxpayers will be providing $28 million in incentives over five years to Kimberly Clark Corporation, in a deal announced Thursday by outgoing Republican Governor Scott Walker. Walker has made saving the jobs at the Neenah Cold Spring plant a priority.
Proud to announce that @kccorp will keep open the Cold Spring Facility in Neenah and retain nearly 400 good-paying jobs! This is a major win for the Fox Valley and for the state of Wisconsin! #WIWorking pic.twitter.com/esQaSBi1t5
— Governor Walker (@GovWalker) December 13, 2018
The deal with Kimberly-Clark is through the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. Under recently passed lame-duck legislation, the Legislature, not incoming Governor Tony Evers, would have to approve any such deals in the future.
“The Republicans’ lame-duck session overriding the will of the people would affect the governor’s ability to lead on economic development through proposals like the one announced for Kimberly-Clark,” Evers said Thursday.
The Republicans’ lame-duck session overriding the will of the people would affect the governor’s ability to lead on economic development through proposals like the one announced for Kimberly-Clark today.
— Tony Evers (@GovElectEvers) December 13, 2018
Kimberly-Clark will have to retain 388 jobs with an annual payroll of over $30 million. The governor also says Kimberly-Clark will invest up to $200 million at the plant over the next five years.