4/30/13 - The Milford Township Board approved a proposal last night giving a tax abatement to GM for the construction of a new data center, but not without contention. GM is asking for a 12-year, 50 percent tax cut for the $258 million project, which would construct a 93,000-square-foot information technology facility that would employ up to 20 people. The automaker wants to use that facility and one like it in Warren to house all of its data needs, allowing it to consolidate some 20 other facilities across the world. The tax abatement would reduce the propertyâs tax bill from about $6.5 million to about $3.24 million for the next twelve years. The townshipâs original proposal included benefits for the municipality such as upgraded lighting for the nearby proving grounds facility and guarantees regarding how much of the data centerâs construction and staffing would come from local sources. GM gave the township a counter-offer that included none of those requests. After a lengthy debate on how to proceed, the township made only a minor language change to GMâs proposal before approving it in a 5-to-2. Supervisor Don Green says the abatement will help make sure the facility is not relocated to a different municipality, and that local labor for the construction and operation of the facility will probably be utilized to a certain degree regardless of the agreement. One of the dissenting votes came from Trustee Randal Busick, who tells WHMI that he disagrees with tax abatements on principle, calling it an issue of tax fairness. He adds that if the board is determined to do it then there should at least be some benefit for the township in return. He did not share the concern of other board members that GM would relocate the facility to another municipality. The township hopes to hear back from GM on the proposal this week. (TD)
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