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Caterpillar won't build North American plant in Illinois
Journal Star - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX News Network ^ | Feb. 8, 2012 | Chris Kaergard

Posted on 02/09/2012 6:52:11 AM PST by 1rudeboy

PEORIA -- Caterpillar Inc. will not be building its new North American plant anywhere in the state of Illinois, officials with the company told local leaders Tuesday, with part of the reason being continued concerns about the business climate in the state.

The company will instead focus on a location closer to its division headquarters in Cary, N.C., Peoria County officials were told in an email sent to them shortly after the close of business and later obtained by the Journal Star. The plant stood to bring with it from Japan roughly 1,000 jobs manufacturing track-type tractors and mini hydraulic excavators.

Peoria County had submitted a regional proposal for the facility at the end of last year, and the Galesburg area also had a proposal on the table for the manufacturer. Peoria's proposal reportedly included economic incentives as well as a promise of a legislative effort to establish a tax increment financing district to benefit the company.

At its core, Caterpillar's decision reflects some concerns its officials had previously expressed about the economic condition of the Land of Lincoln.

"Please understand that even if your community had the right logistics for this project, Caterpillar's previously documented concerns about the business climate and overall fiscal health of the state of Illinois still would have made it unpractical for us to select your community for this project," the letter reads in part. "Caterpillar intends to continue calling for long-term changes in Illinois and to offer help to the state as it works toward real and fundamental reforms that will position communities like yours to compete for future projects."

(Excerpt) Read more at finance.comcast.net ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Japan; News/Current Events; US: Illinois; US: North Carolina
KEYWORDS: bluestate; businessclimate; caterpillar; democratcorruption; democrats; democratstate; economy; liberalutopia; nodemocrats2012; nojobs4demvoters; obama; righttowork; taxes; unions
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Although Caterpillar remains one of Illinois' largest employers, the company has consistently bypassed the state for new plants, as it opted for sites in Texas, Arkansas and North Carolina. Chairman and Chief Executive Dough Oberhelman has been highly critical of state officials, revealing last year that he considered moving the company's headquarters from Peoria after Illinois increased its corporate income tax rate.

Late last year, Caterpillar also criticized Illinois legislators for delaying the renewal of state tax credits for investments in research and development. Lawmakers extended the tax credit program in January.

Caterpillar Says It Has Narrowed Site List For New Plant, Dow Jones Newswires, Feb. 8, 2012.


1 posted on 02/09/2012 6:52:18 AM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: 1rudeboy

Hope and Change in action.
In Illinois now, soon to sweep the country.


2 posted on 02/09/2012 7:00:04 AM PST by Fireone (Gingrich/West 2012. What say you Rush, Mark, Sarah, Neil ?????)
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To: 1rudeboy

Yippppeeee for North Carolina , however we here in S.C. are more business friendly and are a Right to Work State.
Come on Down !!!!!


3 posted on 02/09/2012 7:00:36 AM PST by Robe (Rome did not create a great empire by talking, they did it by killing all those who opposed them)
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To: Toddsterpatriot

Any ideas on what we should get Gov. Quinn for Valentine’s Day?


4 posted on 02/09/2012 7:05:08 AM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: Robe

“Right to Work State.” Which now means the NLRB won’t “approve” the project.


5 posted on 02/09/2012 7:05:41 AM PST by radioone
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To: 1rudeboy

Who needs Caterpillar in Illinois when they have their favorite son, Obama the Messiah, to pay their mortgage, buy their gas, and hand out food stamps.

Why work when the Candy Man is there to redistribute the wealth.


6 posted on 02/09/2012 7:11:20 AM PST by Presbyterian Reporter
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To: 1rudeboy

Good on you, CAT!!!


7 posted on 02/09/2012 7:18:14 AM PST by Eagle of Liberty (We the People are coming!!)
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Indiana has one plant in Indiana and we are now a right to work state....More please.


8 posted on 02/09/2012 7:25:23 AM PST by hoosiermama (Stand with God and Sarah, the Gipper and Newt will be standing next to you.)
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To: 1rudeboy
What do expect from a state that has: 1) one of the largest abortion mills in the country, 2) legalized civil unions 3) encourages homosexual adoptions.

Illinois will continue its downward spiral until there is a turn-around in family values.

9 posted on 02/09/2012 7:29:45 AM PST by stars & stripes forever (Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord!)
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To: 1rudeboy

Good for Cat, and I speak as one who’s regrettably still stuck in this God forsaken state. Maybe if the drones around here get hit with a proverbial 2 by 4 enough times, they’ll wake up.


10 posted on 02/09/2012 7:30:27 AM PST by Marathoner (In the 80s we had Reagan, Johnny Cash and Bob Hope. Now we have Obama, no cash and no hope.)
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To: radioone

Ya, after that fiasco with the NRLB and Boeing going to South Carolina rather than expanding in Washington state, I wonder what the reaction will be.

That any of us think about that shows how much the political climate has changed. Now we’re wondering if a company is going to get in legal trouble if they decide not to build or expand facilities in liberal union states.


11 posted on 02/09/2012 7:33:26 AM PST by Dilbert San Diego
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To: 1rudeboy

A brain.


12 posted on 02/09/2012 7:35:42 AM PST by Toddsterpatriot (Math is hard. Harder if you're stupid.)
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To: hoosiermama

Ill. don’t need no stinking jobs, I’ll don’t need no stinking revenue, I’ll don’t need no stinking oil.


13 posted on 02/09/2012 7:35:55 AM PST by Waco (Nominate Palin or forget 2012 you lost)
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To: Marathoner
I always enjoyed traveling in Illinois in my sales job. Lots of healthy industry and generally a good economy. This was in the 1980s, of course...
14 posted on 02/09/2012 7:38:01 AM PST by Eric in the Ozarks (Beware the Sweater Vest)
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To: 1rudeboy

A factory that builds tracked vehicles in the South. I like it. Could quickly be converted for “other” purposes if needed.


15 posted on 02/09/2012 7:46:35 AM PST by central_va ( I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: radioone

I don’t know about that , we pretty well defeated the NLRB over Boeing. And we’re willing to go to the mat again.


16 posted on 02/09/2012 7:47:52 AM PST by Robe (Rome did not create a great empire by talking, they did it by killing all those who opposed them)
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To: 1rudeboy
"Caterpillar intends to continue calling for long-term changes in Illinois and to offer help to the state as it works toward real and fundamental reforms that will position communities like yours to compete for future projects."

Translation: The blue state model is a disaster and we will have nothing to so with it.

17 posted on 02/09/2012 7:52:01 AM PST by denydenydeny (The more a system is all about equality in theory the more it's an aristocracy in practice.)
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To: 1rudeboy

They aren’t asking for huge taxpayer subsidies?


18 posted on 02/09/2012 7:53:15 AM PST by GeronL (The Right to Life came before the Right to Pursue Happiness)
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To: 1rudeboy
Right across the state line Indiana just became a right to work state and Cat has a big plant there with plenty of space to expand.
I'm certain the Hoosiers would be glad to have another Cat.
19 posted on 02/09/2012 7:56:25 AM PST by count-your-change (You don't have to be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
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To: 1rudeboy

I wouldn’t build a taco stand in Illinois. we closed our plant in Illinois 6-7 years ago and operate there from a plant across the river in Indiana. You should of heard our Illinois resident employees bitch about no Illinois unemployment. worker’s comp etc.


20 posted on 02/09/2012 7:58:05 AM PST by wordsofearnest (Proper aim of giving is to put the recipient in a state where he no longer needs it. C.S. Lewis)
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