County Set To Repeal Tax Exemption For West Fraser, Wayne Dalton

December 9, 2008

The Escambia County Commission is expected to repeal tax exemptions for West Fraser Timber Co., Inc. and Wayne-Dalton Corporation.

West Fraser recently announced mass layoffs amid a market-related shutdown of its McDavid Mill, and Wayne-Dalton announced the layoff of at least 250 of 300 employees and a shutdown of their Pensacola plant.

Resolutions to be considered by the commission Thursday night will repeal the ad valorem tax exemptions granted to the companies. The county attorney’s office is recommending that the tax exemptions be repealed because the companies no longer meet the eligibility requirements set forth by the county and state law.

The tax exemptions were for 100 percent of the value of “certain real estate and personal property” on the corporations.

County tax records show a $6,891,161 real estate exemption for West Fraser in 2008. West Fraser was exempted from $48,069.29 in county taxes and $4,720.45 for the sheriff’s department on their real estate in 2008.

West Fraser received a $14,949,326 exemption on company property in 2008. That amounted $104,279.02 in county tax exemptions and $10,240.29 for the sheriff’s department in 2008.

The county’s tax exemption for West Fraser was to have continued until 2010.

Between 75 and 100 jobs were cut in November at West Fraser in what the company called a “market-related curtailment”.

To read recent NorthEscambia.com articles concerning the West Fraser closure, click here and click here.

Comments

One Response to “County Set To Repeal Tax Exemption For West Fraser, Wayne Dalton”

  1. Jay on December 9th, 2008 2:03 pm

    Well it’s about time that the BOCC has reviewed these tax exemptions. Now get after Solutia and IP; they too are laying off employees and shutting down some of their plant operations.