55% oppose granting Orascom another $25 million in tax credits
An independent poll released today by Progress Iowa and Citizens for a Healthy Iowa shows strong opposition to the continuation of tax credits for Orascom, an Egyptian fertilizer company. The Public Policy Polling survey found that 55% oppose continuing the $25 million tax break as planned. The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) is expected to discuss giving Orascom another $25 million in tax breaks at their board meeting tomorrow morning.
“Governor Branstad has been too eager to give away our hard earned tax dollars at the expense of middle class Iowa families,” said Matt Sinovic, executive director of Progress Iowa. “The state has already promised Orascom $82 million, and they are set to receive hundreds of millions in tax breaks for a plant they were going to build anyway. We call on the IEDA to stop this economic madness and restore fiscal sanity to the state of Iowa at their board meeting tomorrow.”
“After Governor Branstad’s vetoes of REAP and other conservation funding passed with bipartisan support in the legislature, his priorities are very clear: no to programs that will preserve and protect the health of Iowa’s natural resources, and yes to expensive and wasteful tax giveaways for foreign corporations,” said Mark Langgin, spokesperson for Citizens for a Healthy Iowa.
From the survey conducted by Public Policy Polling:
Egyptian fertilizer company Orascom has received $82 million in tax breaks from the state, and is scheduled to receive another $25 million from the Iowa Economic Development Authority next week. Supporters say the company will create jobs, while critics say the company would have built in Iowa without the tax breaks. Do you think the Iowa Economic Development Authority should continue the $25 million tax break as planned, or not?
Think it should continue …………………………
Think it should not………………………
Not sure …………………………
A petition opposing the additional $25 million circulated by Progress Iowa has received nearly 2,000 signatures in less than 48 hours, and will be delivered at the IEDA board meeting tomorrow morning.
Public Policy Polling surveyed 860 Iowa voters between July 11-13. The margin of error for the survey is +/- 3.4%. PPP surveys are conducted using automated telephone interviews.
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Public Policy Polling Survey: Strong Opposition to Orascom Deal in Iowa
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