DES MOINES, Iowa — In the wake of Monday’s announced plan by Tyson Fresh Meats to permanently close its Perry plant, a $574,000 handout to the company in 2021 from the Dallas County Board of Supervisors is receiving fresh scrutiny by the Iowa Senate Majority Fund.
Citing 2021 reporting in ThePerryNews.com, the Fund said it is “seeking clarity from Mark Hanson and the Dallas County Board of Supervisors, on why they would dish out nearly $600,000 in corporate welfare despite the Iowa Economic Development Authority canceling a similar tax break for Tyson ‘after the company failed to maintain its promised workforce size.'”
As part of the 2018 deal, the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) awarded the pork plant about $675,000 in tax credits and declared it eligible to apply for another $375,000 in investment tax credits and to request a refund of about $300,000 in state sales, service and use taxes. The state later clawed back this funding when Tyson failed to hold up its end of the deal, but the county supervisors let their agreement stand because they deemed Tyson to be “good corporate citizens” and a valuable employer and taxpayer in Dallas County.
In its statement Monday, the Iowa Senate Majority Fund asked whether “Supervisor Hanson will be asking for the money back from Tyson Foods” in order to “use the recouped money to aid Tyson’s workers.”
Hanson, a Waukee Republican and 20-year veteran of the board of supervisors, this week announced his candidacy for the Iowa Senate District 14 seat, currently held by second-term West Des Moines Democrat Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott.
