To the Editor:
Kroger received significant tax incentives to build the distribution center in Groveland, totaling over $3 million from the city and Lake County. These incentives included a waiver of permit fees, job growth incentives, and a 10-year property tax rebate. The city’s incentive package was estimated to be worth over $1.1 million, while Lake County’s was a property tax rebate expected to be about $2 million.
Groveland City Incentives:
- Waived $431,000 in impact fees
- Waived $213,750 in permit fees
- Agreed to pay up to $500,000 in job growth incentives
Lake County Incentives:
- A 10-year property tax rebate, estimated to total about $2 million
- Performance-based incentives paid out based on jobs created, with Kroger and its partner Ocado having already received $1.3 million.
Now, all the reasons for incentives are out the door, jobs lost, and a giant unusable eyesore will lie there for decades, the facility unusable for almost any other purpose.
This should be a lesson to all county and city leaders chasing “growth” for the sake of expanding the tax base.
Jack Collins
Orlando