BY SUSAN BROWN, Times of Northwest Indiana
sbrown@nwitimes.com
MUNSTER | The town's Pepsi plant is seeking a tax abatement to assist with plans for a $19.2 million bottling unit that will create 17 jobs with salaries in excess of $32,000.
Despite the value of the improvement and the quality of the job creation, the company would not have been eligible under the town's old tax abatement formula because it does not involve improvements to the aesthetics of the building. The town, however, has developed a new formula.
In presenting the company's proposal to the Town Council this month, Assistant Town Manager Matthew Fritz said the new matrix gave the company enough points to qualify for a six-year abatement.
In return for the abatement, the company would be responsible for $192,000 in public art, likely the second highest figure among the companies in the town's public art program.
In its proposal to the town, the company noted Munster was among more than 100 locations available for the new bottling operation, but Munster was selected as a primary site because of its geographic location and the positive relationship the company has had with the town.
The company forecasts hiring 17 new full-time employees, including 12 operators and three drivers at $32,240 before overtime and benefits and two managers at an average salary of $45,760.
Councilman Robert Mangus said the new equipment basically forms the bottles that are filled with drinking water. Pepsi currently has the bottles shipped in.
"Pepsi has been a wonderful corporate member of the community," Mangus said. "What they do fits in well with the (abatement) matrix."