Pence makes end-of-year jobs announcements, touts 23,000+ job commitments for 2014

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Published: Friday, 19 December 2014 14:59

INDIANAPOLIS – Gov. Mike Pence and executives from 16 companies announced new investments Thursday (Dec. 18) that are expected to bring 2,153 jobs to Indiana within what state officials are calling “the next few years.”

But actually, some of those jobs won’t be created until 2023.

Still, Pence lauded the deals – which involve tax credits and other incentives – as key to the state’s economic growth.

“From tech developers to manufacturing powerhouses, the collective energy of these Hoosier businesses will help power our economy into 2015, creating jobs, promoting opportunities and investing in our future,” Pence said.

Overall in 2014, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation announced it had secured job commitments from 285 companies from across the country and around the world. The companies anticipate investing $4.38 billion in their operations and are expected to create 25,317 jobs over the next decade.

The new positions are projected to pay an average of $21.75, which is higher than the state’s current average hourly wage of $20.17.

The companies received tax credits, training grants and other incentives to either move to or expand in Indiana.

In response to Pence’s announcement, House Minority Leader Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, said he doesn’t think the state’s economic problems are solved by the jobs announcements.

“I suppose it makes people feel good, but I don’t know if it helps at a time when Marion General Hospital is cutting 69 jobs, or Rolls-Royce in Indianapolis is cutting 200 jobs, or Union Hospital in Terre Haute is losing 150 jobs by the end of this year, or IU Health is losing 120 jobs by shutting down its proton therapy center,” Pelath said.

The largest of the investments announced Thursday is a $4.2 million expansion at AMI Industries. The company plans to expand agricultural production at a 100,000-square-foot facility in Plymouth and bring 250 new jobs to the state by 2015.

The heavy-equipment manufacturing company will also invest $4.2 million to renovate its automotive manufacturing lines, which is expected to create an additional 225 jobs by 2017.

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered AMI Industries up to $1.5 million in conditional tax credits and up to $100,000 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans.

Article writer Andi TenBarge is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.