Elkhart County officials are giving a second chance to a New Paris RV maker that received financial incentives when it moved to Syracuse.
The County Council on Saturday voted to reinstate a tax phase-in for Travel Lite, which made a $5 million investment in a new complex in the Syracuse Industrial Park. Council had voted in September to end the tax phase-in, following a public hearing during which no one from the company came to speak.
Council members learned in July how the company fell short of the targets that came with the financial incentives. Under the agreement, Travel Lite had to retain its 42 existing employees and add another 142 positions, with a total payroll of $8.8 million.
It submitted a compliance form showing that its payroll was $9,857 at that time, against a salary estimate of $7.1 million.
“That’s a big difference,” observed then-council member John Leatherman.
“That’s a huge difference,” said County Administrator Jeff Taylor, who presented the disclosure forms.
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