By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
Tax abatements granted Champion Homes in Decatur three years ago have been suspended for one year by city council.
Champion’s CF-1 form – which shows how a company has lived up to what it projected in order to receive the abatements – was reviewed by council at its May 19 meeting.
Champion, when granted 10-year abatements on real estate and personal property in June of 2023, estimated it would have 232 employees when it reached full production.
Its new CF-1 form, however, revealed that it currently has 136 workers.
The S. 13th St. company had been asked by the city to have a representative on hand for the May 19 meeting, but it failed to do so.
“They seem to be constantly hiring, so I guess I would want to grant them some grace,” Councilman Matt Dyer said.
It was noted that the CF-1 formed had been submitted just before the deadline to do so and no representative attended the council meeting.
So after some further discussion, Dyer moved and Councilwoman Jenny Shultz-Bowers seconded, council suspended the tax abatements for one year.
Champion will be able to refile for the abatements next year.
2023 START: Champion Homes began production in the former All American Homes plant on S. 13th St. early in 2023.
Approximately 100 people were working at the plant at the time, but council was given the estimate that employment would eventually reach 232.
Champion would be investing almost $8.5 million in real estate and just over $20 million in personal property, its plant manager told city council.
The tax breaks are provided on a sliding scale, with no taxes paid the first year, then 10% of the tax bill is paid the second year, 20% on the third year and so on.
A CF-1 form, or Compliance with Statement of Benefits, is an Indiana tax form used by companies to annually report their progress in meeting investment and job creation goals to maintain tax abatements.
It compares actual project results against the estimates provided in the original SB-1 form and must be filed between January 1 and May 15.
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