Cronyism in Williamson County

Now Apple is asking the taxpayers of Williamson County to subsidize their new facility within the Austin city limits. This is a company with more than $250B in cash assets. The Wilco Sun summarizes the proposed deal.

Apple will ask commissioners for a tax abatement. Discussion and a vote are tentatively set for the Tuesday, December 18, commissioners court meeting, which begins at 9:30 a.m. in the county courthouse. Terms of the proposed 15- year agreement call for it to start when Apple has initially created 700 full-time jobs at the new facility. The company plans to employ at least 1,300 people by year two of the agreement; 1,900 by year four; 2,500 by year six; 3,100 by year eight; 3,700 by year 10 and 4,000 by year 12.

Apple also plans to spend at least $400 million for purchasing and building on what is currently raw land. Williamson County government’s obligations in the proposed agreement call for it to abate 65 percent of Apple’s property taxes for 15 years.

The planned Apple facility will be in Precinct 1 Commissioner Terry Cook’s area. On Thursday her executive assistant, Garry Brown, said the commissioner and other elected officials will not be commenting before Tuesday’s meeting.

The revenue from this proposed tax abatement  will likely run into the millions of dollars and this will be money not available to pay off the existing bond debt or build new infrastructure such as roads, emergency services and Sheriff services.

Let your County Commissioners know if you oppose this handout to Apple, Inc.