Harley Davidson (Kansas City) announced that they are going to close their manufacturing plant sometime in 2019. I think they described it as bringing into alignment their manufacturing capacity with the harsh reality of a shrinking demand for their product.
The plant costing millions of dollars to build was put into play around 1998. So we are looking at a plant that has been in Kansas City only 20 years. Plus, when they threatened to shut down the plant a few years ago, the State of Missouri and employees came up to the plate again to provide them what they needed to stay.
I recall a significant investment by another GIANT corporation not too long ago in Kansas City. Interestingly enough, they secured some nice funding breaks from the city and state assisting in its construction. Millions of dollars were spent to build the facility. The local chamber participated in the ribbon cutting joyfully singing the corporations' theme song and basking in the belief that the states' investment in this company somehow solidified the community's economic viability.
Approximately, 30 days later ... the company shut it down explaining it no longer meshed with the company's vision for their future.
From the two examples above, I learned a valuable lesson of economic life in that these massive corporations operate on a financial level very few of us will ever experience. Although, what appears to be significant to our community is NOT viewed the same way by these BIG Companies themselves.
These major players in the corporate world will milk (I call it corporate welfare) the taxpaying community for all they can get, promising all kinds of things along with the magic word "JOBS".
To get a feel for how this all plays out ... just watch what is happening with the Amazon HQ2 search for another victim. Every single community that desires Amazon to come calling is giving away everything/anything they can possibly give away to just have Amazon in their area. What a great thing for Amazon, but is it so for the communities involved???
Here is how it REALLY works ....
When a corporation is done draining the community, they simply walk away ... leaving the community devastated from the loss of jobs, tax revenue and respect.
How sad.
The plant costing millions of dollars to build was put into play around 1998. So we are looking at a plant that has been in Kansas City only 20 years. Plus, when they threatened to shut down the plant a few years ago, the State of Missouri and employees came up to the plate again to provide them what they needed to stay.
I recall a significant investment by another GIANT corporation not too long ago in Kansas City. Interestingly enough, they secured some nice funding breaks from the city and state assisting in its construction. Millions of dollars were spent to build the facility. The local chamber participated in the ribbon cutting joyfully singing the corporations' theme song and basking in the belief that the states' investment in this company somehow solidified the community's economic viability.
Approximately, 30 days later ... the company shut it down explaining it no longer meshed with the company's vision for their future.
From the two examples above, I learned a valuable lesson of economic life in that these massive corporations operate on a financial level very few of us will ever experience. Although, what appears to be significant to our community is NOT viewed the same way by these BIG Companies themselves.
These major players in the corporate world will milk (I call it corporate welfare) the taxpaying community for all they can get, promising all kinds of things along with the magic word "JOBS".
To get a feel for how this all plays out ... just watch what is happening with the Amazon HQ2 search for another victim. Every single community that desires Amazon to come calling is giving away everything/anything they can possibly give away to just have Amazon in their area. What a great thing for Amazon, but is it so for the communities involved???
Here is how it REALLY works ....
When a corporation is done draining the community, they simply walk away ... leaving the community devastated from the loss of jobs, tax revenue and respect.
How sad.
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