Posted on 11/07/2009 9:34:05 AM PST by nwrep
Obama and the Democratic majority in Congress are spending billions of tax dollars to subsidize development of "green jobs" - positions for people and companies designing and manufacturing alternative energy sources such as biomass, wind and solar.
One of Obama's buddies, Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts, is also a vocal advocate of such subsidies. Last year, Patrick put Massachusetts taxpayers' money where is mouth is by backing a $58 million package of incentives and subsidies to Evergreen Solar, which manufacturers collector panels used in solar energy units.
Now barely a year later, Evergreen has announced that it is moving its final assembly phase to a factory in China, according to the Boston Globe. The firm's Devens, Massachusetts, plant currently employs 577 full-time and 230 contract workers in designing and manufacturing the silicon wafers and cells that are then assembled into panels.
A company spokesman declined to say how many jobs will be shifted to the new assembly plant in China, according to the Globe.
"In exchange for receiving $58.6 million in grants, loans, land, tax incentives, and other aid to build in Massachusetts, Evergreen pledged that it would add 350 new jobs, a goal that it has, to date, far surpassed. However, the company disclosed in a financial filing yesterday that it would write off $40 million worth of equipment at Devens because of the production shift to China," the Globe reported.
"The company has been a poster child of the Patrick administration’s efforts to develop a 'green energy' industry cluster in Massachusetts. But it has been struggling financially because of increased competition from overseas producers and rapidly falling prices for solar products. It recently persuaded the state to lend it another $5 million to cover equipment purchases, though the state has not yet released the funds," the Globe said.
Sometimes I wish that I could shift my company’s 200 jobs away from the USA. But we are in a service business and can’t. But one has to rethink about being an employer if this bill passes.
Wow - only $167,000 of taxpayer money for each job! I love government.
Asia is the real land of opportunity now.
We are so Green we aren’t even able to do that right with Americans do the work?
Geeze!
If solar worked, they could just make a product, sell a product, and watch the profits pile up. But they can't do that. Because solar energy is a scam.
Without gubbermint subsidies it would be out of business-- and probably will be a year from now.
Evergreen started in 1994. I don’t think it ever made a profit.
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