Local Officials Scared By Toyota

We first brought you news that Toyota was considering a plant in our region before you heard about it in the local news media. Now the News and Advance is reporting mixed and negative reactions by local officials.

Why? Because Toyota may not not be the "right kind" of industry that our area should have. There may be another consideration in the negativity towards Toyota that local officials are not espousing. Toyota may very well, offer a competition for our low paid blue collar workers to make higher wages. This could lead to the need to offer higher pay from other local companies to stay competitive. Many local officials have vested interests in local businesses.

According to The News and Advance:

Appomattox mayor Ronnie Spiggle said the area needs to keep a close eye on what officials think communities need, which tends to be young professionals,
and not recruit jobs that would come from Toyota plants and Wal-Mart. “I think
the Toyota plant is the wrong type of growth,” said Tom Messier, Bedford City
mayor.

...Bedford County Board of Supervisors member John Sharp said considering the large number of retired workers moving into the Lynchburg area, officials should look at industries that will attract workers to help carry the tax burden.

It is interesting to see this point of view, it shows an entrenchment aligned with keeping blue collar wages low. Heaven help us if that apple cart was overturned.