Polaris Pull Out Prompts Push Back

January 12, 2011 4:12 PM

(credit: CBS)

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Jobs, Osceloa, Polaris, Telly Mamayek, Wisconsin

By Telly Mamayek, NewsRadio 830 WCCO

OSCEOLA, Wis. (WCCO) — There’s a new coalition of business and community leaders aimed at preserving jobs in western Wisconsin. It’s called “Vision 600″ and has the goal of creating 600 job opportunities in the region over the next two years.

The effort is prompted by Polaris’ decision to close two plants in Osceola by the end of 2012. When that happens, Village Administrator Neil Soltis said about 500 people will be out of work.

“If you blocked out an area of where the Polaris workers are from, it’s probably from Pine City, Minnesota over to Shell Lake, Wisconsin, down to Baldwin and over to St. Paul,” said Soltis.

He said the total economic impact of those lost jobs is not known because the ripple effect on other businesses is hard to measure.

However, there may be a silver lining to the snowmobile maker’s pull out.

“Roughly 30 to 40 percent of them (displaced Polaris workers) have an interest in starting their own businesses,” said Soltis.

NewsRadio 830 WCCO’s Telly Mamayek Reports

Foxy

You tax businesses and their owners to death and then you wonder why they move somewhere else. When you tax a business, they raise prices and find ways to cut costs. If you want to keep your jobs, stop voting for Tax Raising Democrats.

Sue

Foxy, are you aware this is Wisconsin not Minnesota,

Becky

Where did they get the information that 30 to 40 percent of the displaced workiers have interest in starting their own businesses? The ones I know are extremely worried and do not know what to do. I think this is just providing them with a dream not will only be shattered.
Craig Mensing

Ok, so 30% to 40 % of the current employees are planning on opening or starting their own businesses, figure 90% fail in the first year, (600 x 40% = 240 x 10%= 24 ) so 24 new busineses actually get it off the ground and survive, what about the other 576 people? Yes, it is Wisconsin, so what, the difference in taxes is pennies, not dollars, and doesn’t Wi still owe Mn something like $80M in tax transfers?