Fate Of Wisconsin Kimberly-Clark Deal Uncertain



Fate Of Wisconsin Kimberly-Clark Deal Uncertain  | Kimberly-Clark, Wisconsin,

WISCONSIN (From news reports) -- The fate of a roughly $70 million tax incentives package for consumer products company Kimberly-Clark Corp. remains uncertain at the state Capitol, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said Tuesday.

Under the proposal from Gov. Scott Walker, the company would receive up to about $70 million in payroll and construction tax credits over 15 years. The package is aimed at preserving about 400 jobs at Kimberly-Clark's Cold Spring facility in Fox Crossing near Neenah. The company announced plans to close that and another nearby facility in January.

Fitzgerald said several Republican senators do not support the plan, which means it would need votes from Senate Democrats to pass.

"The votes are not there as of today," he said Tuesday.

Fitzerald said the bill's sponsor, Sen. Roger Roth, R-Appleton, is working to gather that support.

"Sen. Roth is still talking to members of the Senate on both sides of the aisle," Fitzgerald said.

Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, refuted that.

"It's become clear that Republicans never intended this lame duck session to be about saving jobs at Kimberly-Clark," Shilling said in a statement. "They haven't made any effort to build consensus and reach an agreement to keep these jobs in Wisconsin."

The governor had laid out a Nov. 30 deadline for the deal, which passed the Assembly in February, but Fitzgerald indicated a December vote could occur.