LITTLE ROCK, AR — Lawmakers are back at the capitol to consider a proposal to spend tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to help bring a military vehicle assembly plant to south Arkansas.
Committee hearings began Tuesday afternoon after a morning press conference where the governor and other top state lawmakers spoke about the benefits of the project.
A prototype of the joint light tactical vehicle was parked in front of the capitol. Lockheed Martin wants to build 55,000 of them at their facility in the Highland Park Industrial Complex in Camden.
To help the company win a contract with the Department of Defense, lawmakers are proposing to spend $87 million in tax revenue — mostly on upgrades to the Camden facility.
“We’d all like to be purists in which there’s not any government involvement in high stakes super projects,” said Gov. Asa Hutchsinson. “But the fact is we’ve got a competitive environment with other states.”
That was the governor’s response when FOX16 asked why taxpayers should pitch in to help a private company do business.
He’s says the project makes sense because it will save or create more than 1,000 jobs and lead to billions in economic economic impact over the 25 year span of the agreement.
Committee hearings began Tuesday afternoon after a morning press conference where the governor and other top state lawmakers spoke about the benefits of the project.
A prototype of the joint light tactical vehicle was parked in front of the capitol. Lockheed Martin wants to build 55,000 of them at their facility in the Highland Park Industrial Complex in Camden.
To help the company win a contract with the Department of Defense, lawmakers are proposing to spend $87 million in tax revenue — mostly on upgrades to the Camden facility.
“We’d all like to be purists in which there’s not any government involvement in high stakes super projects,” said Gov. Asa Hutchsinson. “But the fact is we’ve got a competitive environment with other states.”
That was the governor’s response when FOX16 asked why taxpayers should pitch in to help a private company do business.
He’s says the project makes sense because it will save or create more than 1,000 jobs and lead to billions in economic economic impact over the 25 year span of the agreement.