Sunday, April 02, 2000
Mason backs tax abatement deck,20,1 Mitsubishi may expand
BY KEVIN ALDRIDGE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MASON — City Council has given its support to an application by Mitsubishi Electric for a Warren County enterprise zone abatement. It could lead to a $27 million expansion of the Bethany Road plant and up to 70 new jobs.
But that's only if Mitsubishi decides to go forward with its Mason expansion. The company is also considering expansion at its Maysville, Ky., facility.
Matthew Rosen, a spokesman for Mitsubishi, said most of the new space created would be dedicated to manufacturing automotive component parts locally rather than having them imported. He said the space could also be used for development of a lighter alternator.
“We would really like to expand here in Mason, but gaining the city's support is just the first step,” said Mr. Rosen. “We still have to go through county commissioners, and we are hoping to get some help from the state as well.”
The application for the abatement, called an enter prise zone agreement, asks county commissioners for an exemption of up to 75 percent on real and personal property taxes for a 10-year period. County commissioners, who have final say on the project, could discuss the application this month.
Mitsubishi, Mason's fourth-largest employer with 450 workers, wants to construct an 82,750-square-foot addition to house $24 million in new machinery, equipment and inventory. The company hopes to break ground in May and have the project completed by October, Mr. Rosen said.
The company, which manufactures electrical components for the automotive industry, has been in Mason since 1988. This would be Mitsubishi's sixth expansion, but the first time the company has asked for a tax break on personal property.
“Mitsubishi is a model corporate citizen,” said Melissa Koehler, Mason's economic development director. “The mark of Mitsubishi's generosity is everywhere you look in Mason — from its library, to its parks and schools.”
If approved by commissioners, Mitsubishi's tax abatement would be more than $266,000 a year for 10 years. Mason City Schools would receive an annual compensation of about $7,500 for the term of the tax abatement.
Warren County entities including Mason would receive more than $6 million in tax revenue over the first 10 years even with the tax incentive.
Mr. Rosen said the company would likely add 63 full-time positions, and one part-time position over three years.
In other business, council approved a 15-year, 100 percent real property tax abatement for Tekmar. The company, which assembles and tests laboratory equipment, wants to move from a leased facility in Sharonville to a new one in the White Blossom Technical Center.
Tekmar, a division of Emerson Electric, has been in Sharonville since 1987. The company now employs 108 people and expects to add 25 over the next 10 years, with total payroll exceeding $4.9 million.
Cincinnati United Contractors will build a 40,000-square-foot corporate office facility valued at $1.7 million. The company will invest another $300,000 in equipment. The Mason City Schools will receive $6,250 annually for the duration of the abatement.
Tekmar was also weighing a tax incentive package from Evendale, but company officials said Mason was always the first choice.
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