How taxpayers helped two factories in NJ, PA
NJ, PA, US officials celebrate jobs 'saved' with taxpayer help
New Jersey state economic development officials were due in Delanco today to tour Black Bear Distribution LLC's 266,000-square-foot cold cut refrigerator facility, which distributes meat products for Dietz & Watson and other food companies in a converted import warehouse, says general manager John Tsigounis.
Black Bear scored an estimated $175,500 in state Business Employment Incentive Program (BEIP) grants, stretched over 10 years, "based on its expected creation of 67 new jobs," says Economic Development Adminsitration spokeswoman Erin B. Gold. "To date, the company has created approximately 90 new jobs," so its actual benefit - calculated as a refund on employee income taxes - will be that much greater. Black Bear invested $20 million in upgrading the cold storage site, which Gold called a highly positive return on taxpayers' investment.
Who's Black Bear? It's owned by Ruth Dietz Eni and her children Louis Eni, Chris Eni, and Cindy Eni Yingling - grandchildren of Dietz & Watson founder Gottlieb Dietz.
Tomorrow (9/17), Govs. Rendell (PA) and Markell (DE) will join U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Obama manufacturing aide Ron Bloom and Pentagon strategist Amanda Dory at Accu-Weld, a Bensalem compaay that makes "energy-efficient" windows and doors. The company lately said it would keep 140 workers busy thanks to "new demand in the home weatherization market" and the Obama stimulus program that subsidizes energy-saving home improvements. Diane Mastrull's past Inquirer story here.