Update: The N&R reports the City Council voted to award Honda $500k+ in incentives. The council also selected Gate City Waste Services to run the White Street landfill.
In what should be a surprise to no one, National Solar Power announced yesterday it has chosen Florida over Guilford County as the site for a $1.5 billion solar farm.
There is still the Honda Aircraft expansion, for which the Greensboro City Council will ponder incentives during tonight’s meeting. In today’s lead editorial the N&R says the “potential upside of this project is still a tremendous opportunity this community simply cannot afford to miss.”
Not surprising view, given Sunday’s article promoting the benefits of Honda’s expansion to PTI and the region.
The article cited Guilford County Commissioner Billy Yow’s view that Honda would more than likely expand here anyway, so ti would be crazy to hand over incentives.
But then there’s this:
Yow believes Honda will expand at PTI with or without financial assistance.
But others don’t want to take that chance. They see the money as a way to thank a company that could help turn around the troubled local economy.
“We would like any kind of jobs,” said Keith Debbage, a professor of urban geography at UNCG. “These jobs are manna from Heaven.”
I realize Professor Debbage is probably using a little hyperbole to get his point across, but I can’t help but believe there are people here in Guilford County who really feel that way.