By a 10-9 vote, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $175 million in state taxpayer incentives for the Gotion, Inc. EV battery plant which will be located near Big Rapids.
Opponents of the project included those who are philosophically opposed to corporate welfare to those who are alarmed at the company's ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to those who have legitimate environmental concerns.
"The new Democratic majority is putting big corporations over struggling families by squandering our state's historic budget surplus on bad business deals," noted Senate Republican leader Aric Nesbitt.
"If you choose to give these funds to Gotion, you are a Benedict Arnold. You are a traitor to this Republic," said Kristina Karamao, MIGOP chair, at today's committee meeting.
State Senator Lana Theis, who voted no, stated, "The Gotion plant is set to be built near the Muskegon River - the plan has yet to receive the environmental impact study and/or approval necessary for such a project."
Three Democrats voted no to the transfer - Senators Rosemary Bayer, Jeff Irwin, and Sylvia Santana. Sen. John Damoose, who serves on this committee, was also a no vote.
Supporters of the project claim it will bring over 2000 jobs to the area.
Let's hope it's not another Solyndra.
Photo: Artist rendering of potential Gotion Inc plant.