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WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TX – The Williamson County Commissioners Court has passed an order that would allow Samsung to build a new facility in Taylor.
The court approved a Chapter 381 agreement in a joint meeting with the City of Taylor on Wednesday. The agreement would enable Samsung Austin Semiconductor, LLC to build its newest semiconductor facility in Taylor.
A Chapter 381 agreement is a performance-based agreement that provides incentives to stimulate, promote, and develop business and commercial activities in a county based on the developer’s achievement of specific goals.
As of January, Williamson County has been under consideration as a possible location for Samsung’s future expansion in the US, officials said.
The Commissioners Court unanimously voted for a Chapter 381 performance-based agreement and development agreement for Samsung Austin Semiconductor, LLC to build its newest semiconductor facility in Taylor, Texas. Learn more 👇https: //t.co/0vXA2S6LfE pic.twitter.com/k01qKBc0D3
– Williamson County (@wilcogov) September 9, 2021
“If Williamson County is selected, it will be the largest ever economic development project in the state of Texas and the largest foreign-invested economic development project in the United States,” said County Judge Bill Gravell. “I would like to thank Senator Cornyn and Governor Abbott for their support in our proposal to bring Samsung home to Taylor.”
The order, approved by the Commissioners Court, states that it is a national security issue to locate semiconductor manufacturing in the United States in order to reduce reliance on overseas supply chains.
The resolution also mentions the need to address the global semiconductor shortage. For District Judge Bill Gravell, however, the reason to agree to the agreement is closer.
“I voted in favor of this agreement because it opens up new opportunities for students at Taylor Schools,” said Judge Gravell. “In addition to the estimated tax revenue of over $ 245 million that the school district will collect, our agreement calls for Samsung to hire 24 interns. This will open up opportunities for them at an international company that would otherwise not have been possible at Taylor. “
Did you know that all of Samsung’s facilities in the US, including manufacturing and distribution sites, use #renewable energy? 🍃💡 #Sustainability Read how we achieve this: https://t.co/hfcjecTBTP pic.twitter.com/EsYob6oTsI
– Samsung US Newsroom (@SamsungNewsUS) August 10, 2021
According to the Williamson County agreement, Samsung must create 1,800 full-time positions by the 31st.
If these conditions are met, Samsung County will grant Samsung an amount equal to 90 percent of the value tax it pays for the first ten years of the agreement. For the second 10 years of the term of office, the district grants an amount equal to 85 percent of the value tax paid by the company.
“This agreement is an asset to Williamson County because it is performance driven. Williamson County will collect all taxes on the company’s estimated value initially and will not return any funds until the performance criteria are met, ”said Precinct 4 Commissioner Russ Boles. “This allows us to be competitive in recruiting large companies like Samsung while holding them accountable for their promises for the jobs and improvements they will bring.”
In the county’s development agreement, Williamson County approves certain road improvements necessary for the safety and mobility around the construction and operation of the six million square foot facility. This includes improvements to the CR 401 and CR 404 as well as the construction of a future district road.
The Southeast Loop, with which the construction of segment 1 began in July, is also mentioned in the agreement with a completion date in June 2025.
To support the project, the Texas Department of Transportation has committed $ 67 million in its 10-year Unified Transportation program to build segment 3 of the Southeast Loop, which includes a level crossing at FM 3349 and US 79.
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