Beatrice Daily Sun - "Johanns touts economic plan during visit"

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Beatrice Daily Sun - "Johanns touts economic plan during visit"

After touring Dempster Industries during a campaign stop Tuesday, U.S. Senate candidate Mike Johanns said he sees potential for his economic plan to help a business like Dempster.

"The economic plan I've put forward would work perfect on a business like this, looking to diversify what they do," he said.

Johanns, who resigned as the U.S. Agriculture Secretary to seek the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Republican Chuck Hagel, said two components of his economic plan would be particularly useful to Dempster, which was purchased this summer by Ohio businessman Wallace Davis.

"The plan would allow them to buy new equipment and expense it on their tax return, a significant economic benefit that would help them grow and expand," he said.

Johanns said his plan would allow a company to expense $200,000 of an $800,000 piece of equipment on its tax return. It also would provide for training.

"If a company brings in new equipment, they need to train their employees along with that," he said.

Johanns said his plan would work in conjunction with local community colleges to provide training to allow employees to update their skills.

"The end result is that we want jobs, good-paying jobs with benefits. We want to build the economy in Gage County," he said.

Johanns said another aspect of Dempster that he sees as important to industry in general in Nebraska is its effort to produce a system to harness wind energy.

"For this company to expand in that area, there's great opportunity there," he said, adding that having a company on the cutting edge of alternative energy technology is exactly what Nebraska needs.

Johanns said news that the Vise-Grip factory in DeWitt will close and some of the 330 jobs there will go to China is unfortunate, especially considering the things happening now that should make moving operations overseas less appealing to businesses.

"I want to do everything I can to fight that, to keep those jobs here."

With fuel costs rising, Johanns said it's going to be harder for businesses to send their manufacturing operations all over the world because shipping is becoming too expensive.

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