The Wilmington (Ohio) News Journal reports that NCR Corp.'s move to Georgia has hit a bit of a stumbling block where federal stimulus funds are concerned. The city of Columbus, Ga., shortly after NCR announced its plans to move its headquarters from Dayton, Ohio, to Duluth, Ga., submitted an application for federal stimulus funds to help pay for a new NCR plant.
But last week, the U.S. Department of Commerce reportedly rejected the Georgia city's application for $5.5 million in stimulus funds, but state officials say they are visiting Washington, D.C., next week to meet with federal Economic Development Administration officials to try to convince them to change their minds. Georgia officials say if the funding is denied, it won't affect NCR's decision to relocate, and that Columbus is prepared to borrow the funds it needs.
When Ohio officials first learned of the planned move this summer, they made an offer of $31 million in incentives to keep NCR in Dayton. NCR rejected the offers.
Now, according to the News Journal, NCR and the state of Georgia are looking to Ohio to help pay for the move:
 | Georgia officials maintain that the stimulus money will not be used to help relocate operations from Dayton, but rather help to consolidate jobs in NCR's global operations in Columbus. The Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce said that the city's application was in line with President Obama's desire to 'bring jobs back to the U.S.' We don't buy it. That sounds like the same kind of shell game the banks played after they gave their employees big bonuses and then claimed that their bailout money did not pay for it. No matter what column an accountant applies the funds, the bottom line is that Georgia and NCR want to use federal tax dollars, from Ohio and elsewhere, to relocate jobs from one state to another. |  |
Jeff Dudash, an NCR spokesman, told ATMmarketplace.com that NCR is disappointed with misleading news reports about the stimulus funding. He says NCR has not and will not apply for any stimulus funds — only the city of Columbus, Ga., is applying for funds. Dudash also is quick to note that the funding would be applied to ATM manufacturing, which has not occurred at NCR's Dayton, Ohio, facilities for several years.
On Saturday, the (Columbus, Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer reported that Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue was diligent about responding to false accusations that stimulus funds would be used to move jobs from Ohio, rather than create jobs in Georgia. In a letter responding to concerns about the stimulus funding, Perdue wrote:
| Assertions that stimulus money is moving jobs from Ohio to Georgia are simply not true. The bottom line is this new factory in Columbus, Georgia, will bring jobs that were outsourced overseas back to the U.S. We believe the manufacturing project is exactly the type of economic development project that you and the President have looked to foster with the stimulus funds and respectfully request your support of Columbus' application. | |
