Locals look for answers on Ford decision
Published 12:00 am Saturday, November 16, 2002
One phrase kept coming out of the mouths of Albert Lea residents after Ford Motor Company’s decision to build their warehouse in Menomonie, Wis. instead of here.
&uot;I’m disappointed,&uot; most said.
The disappointment comes from many directions, but most comes from the lost opportunity for jobs.
&uot;It would have provided a few more good-paying jobs in this town and we need them,&uot; said Diane Solberg, a lunchroom supervisor at Hawthorne Elementary school. &uot;(City officials) make a lot of promises and they never follow through completely on them.&uot;
&uot;This isn’t the first time that we’ve had a time when a company say they were going to come in and the city doesn’t do what it should so they go elsewhere,&uot; Solberg said.
Solberg was among a few who put the blame on city officials for Ford’s decision.
Albert Lea Mayor Bob Haukoos said that the decision was disappointing, but had nothing to do with a lack of effort on the part of the city. He said the criticism of city management has been unjustified.
&uot;We did everything we could to get them in here,&uot; he said. City and state officials have said Ford’s reasons for their decision were based on state corporate income and property taxes, state worker’s compensation rates, and location relative to the markets Ford needed to reach.
&uot;It was a surprise to me,&uot; said Keith Porter Jr., president of the local steelworkers union #6803. &uot;I think the big problem is that you get into communities bidding against one another and the state differences become more important than local ones. They probably went to the place where they are going to have to pay workers less.&uot;
Albert Lea resident Bob Hoeg said he thought the problems were out of the city’s hands.
&uot;I think that the state economic environment was the most difficult hurdle,&uot; he said. &uot;To my understanding the presentation to Ford went very well.&uot;
Another Albert Lea resident, Lowell Peterson added, &uot;If we can do something about the workers compensation laws or the corporate tax laws I think we can get more business here.&uot;
Peterson added, &uot;Also we are a long ways away from the metro area.&uot;
Some residents believe that quality of life issues pulled the company to the Wisconsin town.
&uot;I don’t think there was anything wrong in the way Albert Lea handled it. I think they did a decent job of promoting but what is in Albert Lea for them to provide?&uot; said a business owner who wished to remain anonymous.
Ford officials haven’t been available for comment on the matter. They are expected to make a formal announcement about their decision next week, according to Associated Press reports.