COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – The Commerce Department will ask a legislative panel to approve borrowing $123 million toward the incentive package promised to Volvo Cars.
The Post and Courier of Charleston reports (http://bit.ly/1HEvRch ) that Commerce Secretary Bobby Hitt will seek approval Wednesday from the Joint Bond Review Committee. Senate President Pro Tem Hugh Leatherman is the committee’s chairman. He says he received the request Friday.
The request is part of more than $200 million in state incentives that helped Volvo choose South Carolina for its first North American plant.
It’s not unusual for the state to borrow money to lure jobs.
But this year, GOP Gov. Nikki Haley has repeatedly slammed Republican legislators who supported borrowing money for statewide construction projects, helping kill the proposals. Leatherman is among those she’s publicly called out.
