Governor Haslam is shown with legislators Dan Howell, Mike Carter and Gerald McCormick
photo by Emmett Gienapp
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam spoke Wednesday after a mass team meeting with Volkswagen management and workers in an attempt to reassure Chattanoogans that local production is still on schedule and that his office still trusts that the Chattanooga plant is a solid long-term investment, despite the company's ongoing emissions scandal.
He said that legislation have not had any conversations about pulling back on the incentives previously offered to Volkswagen to attract them and their suppliers to build in Chattanooga, but did say that there are provisions in place to protect Tennessee taxpayers from the potential economic fallout.
He also said that what is getting lost in the ongoing conversation about Volkswagen and how the scandal may affect Chattanooga is that there are people here producing a quality product and who had nothing to do with the mistakes that were made.
Concerning the incentives that have been offered to Volkswagen to attract them and boost their economic impact in Tennessee, he said that no one could have foreseen the emissions scandal and the waves it has made.
Now, after years of investment and cooperation between the company and local government, he said, “We’re married to them.”
Because of this, Governor Haslam wants to be clear with Volkswagen in saying that Tennessee “isn’t going anywhere” and isn’t going to pull out of that relationship.
He said that at the end of the day, it’s all still about demand for quality vehicles and the ability to meet that demand, and legislators are still confident that Volkswagen can and will continue to fulfill that role as as a major manufacturing hub in Chattanooga.
For now, the schedule to begin producing mid-sized SUVs in Chattanooga has not changed and capital investment at the plant is on-track with new facilities and improved equipment being built every day, as planned, the governor said.
With factory workers
photo by David Smith