Springfield City Council Gets Ball Rolling For Kraft Expansion
Kraft Foods wants to expand it's operations in Springfield, and is asking the city for financial help.
City Council voted to at least consider a $55 million bond package Kraft is requesting. It would give the company a break on property taxes because, until the bonds are paid off, the city would own any equipment that was purchased.
The company cites an aging facility that needs upgrades to stay competitive. Several people spoke at the council meeting in favor of the idea. Most talked about the need for companies like this to re-invest in themselves and keep jobs local.
One person at the meeting spoke against the move, citing what he called "Corporate Welfare". He said Kraft is a multi-billion dollar global food company and wondered how it doesn't put up the capital to fund this project.
Council members will see the issue again in two weeks, where they'll vote on whether or not to have a funding agreement written up.
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