Local officials in Columbia, Missouri last week took steps to approve to a tax break that would ultimately lead to the elimination of 150 positions at the city's Kraft Heinz plant.
The Boone County Chapter 100 Review Panel unanimously backed the proposal on Friday, which would in part grant a 75 percent property tax break over ten years on the food giant's $114 million expansion.
The expansion and technology upgrades would result in the hot dog plant's 500-employee workforce being trimmed to 350, but local officials said that the plan ensures that those remaining jobs would stay in Columbia rather than move to other facilities.
"It may not be logical in most cases but there's certainly other facilities that would love to have this expansion," said Dave Griggs, who led the project for the local economic development agency.
The Boone County Commission must ultimately sign off before the Kraft Heinz proposal is approved.
Company officials said that the job cuts would not be layoffs, but would instead shift workers to part-time or target employees nearing retirement. The upgraded plant should begin operating in 2017.
