Criticon vs SRI
Brent Finnegan -- March 11th, 2007
In December, SRI announced that they are opening a research facility in Rockingham’s technology park, creating 100 new jobs over a 10 year period, with an average annual compensation of $85,000. The Commonwealth (i.e. Governor Kaine, General Assembly, etc) decided to give SRI $22 million for choosing to set up shop in the Commonwealth instead of some other state.
Friday, Criticon, a data storage company, announced that they’re investing $115 million to set up a huge facility on North Main (in the old Amp building) creating 25 jobs, paying an average $80,000. Unless I’m missing something, they’re not getting any state money.
Granted, one is for-profit data storage while the other is non-profit drug research and development, but considering they’re both bringing high-paying “skilled” jobs to the area, why and how was it decided that one gets $22 million, and the other gets zero? Honest question.
-finnegan
maybe they just liked harrisonburg? it should also be noted that Criticon is not setting up shop in the technology park.
The jury’s still out on whether or not I’m happy that Criticon chose us, but I’m glad that they are at least restoring and moving into an existing building, closer to downtown. If I had a few million to spare, I might give them money for that.
Oh, I think Criticon is a great catch for the Econ Dev department. I mean, technically SRI isn’t in Harrisonburg. I just haven’t read anything about what kind of tax incentives (if any) they’re getting from the city or the state. I just think it’s odd that we bend over backwards for one company, and give the other a pat on the back.