One week after Davenport announced a major plastics manufacturer wants to build a new plant in the city, Scott County is being asked to endorse the project. That's because the city wants to create a tif district for Sterilite Corporation in the Eastern Iowa Industrial Center.
County planning director, Tim Huey, says despite the future impact on property tax revenue, he expects supervisors will enthusiastically support the project. That's because the county helped create the industrial park 20 years ago with Davenport, the Chamber of Commerce, and MidAmerican Energy.
"At the time, our development group said you need a site with large acreages, shovel ready, for a big project. That that type of inventory is not kept by the private sector."
And he thinks Sterilite is a perfect example of what the industrial park was created for.
Huey says under Iowa law, the county and school districts do not have veto power over tif projects like this - they're only given what's called "the opportunity to consult."
"So cities have to notify us, have to answer our questions and then we can give our comments to the cities. Then the cities have the option to take those into consideration or say thank you very much and do as they see fit."
Sterilite plans to build a 73 million dollar plant to make and distribute plastic storage containers, with future employment of up to 500 people.
Already located in the industrial park are a Deere distribution center, some small local manufacturers, and the new Kraft Heinz plant that's under construction.