Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Gazette reaches settlement in tax issue

The cost of downsizing apparently was $1.5 million in Kalamazoo. And, surprise, surprise, the paper couldn't reach its own publisher for a comment for its own story. Update: Thanks to an FFE reader we now have the full written statement of the publisher. As a reporter you dislike written responses for comments because there is no chance to ask follow up or other relevant questions of the source. Interesting that a publisher avoids that interchange with his own reporter.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Publisher could not be reached for a comment? When was the last time Kalamazoo actually had a publisher/leader?

Edward Vielmetti said...

Here's the publisher's written statement

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2011/04/kalamazoo_gazette_publisher_re.html

in part

""The Gazette is pleased that this matter is behind us and that we and the city were able to resolve our differences amicably and avoid litigation," Stephanak said in the statement. "

Jim of L-Town said...

Thanks for the link Ed.

Anonymous said...

The Gazette received about $2.5 million in tax breaks in exchange for a $37 million expansion of its printing facility in downtown Kalamazoo. The newspaper was required to maintain the facility and 175 jobs through 2014 as part of the agreement.


OMG that is sooooo funny. In 2002 they actually couldn't see far enough down the road to know that in about 5 years they would begin offering buyouts and in just a couple more years they would lay off nearly half the number of job they promised to keep AND close the new printing facility.
Holy smokes, thank the good Lord that the people in charge back then are still in charge.
Because that is some seriously good business strategy. LOL LOL