Whitewater Uses Public Money for Big Corporation While Big Corporation Invests in Whitewater Mexico

On Tuesday while Whitewater’s City Manager, the Janesville City Manager, and the Janesville Transportation Director were advocating for Whitewater to spend public money for a bus route that primarily benefits $2.3 billion-dollar Generac, Generac was investing forty-six million dollars in Mexico. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has the story:

Generac Holdings Inc. has agreed to acquire a Mexican generator manufacturer for $46.5 million in cash, giving Generac a stronger presence in Mexico, Brazil and elsewhere in Latin America.

The Waukesha firm said Tuesday a subsidiary has agreed to acquire all of the shares of Ottomotores UK Limited and its affiliates, including the operations of Ottomotores Mexico and Ottomotores Brazil.

Founded in 1950 and based in Mexico City, the Ottomotores businesses have more than 500 employees and $81.6 million in revenue in fiscal 2011.

The acquisition will strengthen Generac’s presence in markets outside of North America, the company said. The deal is scheduled to close before the end of January, with Generac keeping the Ottomotores management and brand name….

A company worth billions, and that wants Whitewater to pay for a bus to bring workers to and from other cities, still has plenty of cash — $46.5 million worth of plenty — to invest in jobs in Mexico.

Many thanks to a longtime reader for the story, as I had regrettably missed it.

Although I have argued against this project consistently, I am yet startled by the avarice of this corporation’s requests, and the obvious lack of basic thoroughness it reveals from Whitewater’s municipal manager and his staff.

There’s more research ahead on this subject, to be sure.