Had the company not received the phase-in, it would have moved some operations to its Easton facility, MAP officials said. Thus, the abatement saves 25 current jobs in addition to the 49 new ones it will bring.
Brian Gildea, Elkhart's economic development director, said the city first granted abatements in 1999 and has averaged about four per year since then.
Gildea, who works with companies throughout the abatement application process, said criteria hasn't changed dramatically since the economy got rougher. But the city now focuses less on the salary of the new positions, he said, and more on the overall number of positions.
"We'd rather have 10 jobs than 100 jobs if those 10 jobs had better wages," he said. "However, with the current situation, we have to look at jobs, period, in terms of the total number created."
The MAP jobs carry an average salary of $25,700, according to city documents, though 33 are production positions with a $19,000 average salary.
As part of the agreement, MAP also agreed to contribute 15 percent of its tax savings, or $10,125, to the city's tax abatement development fund.
The council in February approved an abatement for Lake Cable, bringing 15 to 25 jobs at a $42,500 average salary. The Illinois company will save $75,000 in taxes on its $1.9 million investment.
Moore said he wouldn't consider such a small addition two years ago, but now is willing to talk to any company about bringing their operations here.
"I'm quite certain I wouldn't be offering these things if we were living in better times," he said. "I approved them because they create jobs."