LANSING ? Michigan state tax credits to a Texas-based solar module manufacturer should be questioned and the scrutiny the Michigan Economic Development Corporation gave to GlobalWatt should be reviewed, spokespersons for the Mackinac Center for Public Policy said Wednesday, charging it had found evidence the firm may not have been truthful in its application. But the MEDC responded, “there is no story here.”

A spokesperson for the MEDC said in an email response that there was no evidence substantiating allegations that the company was less than truthful. The spokesperson blamed the dispute on a disgruntled former GlobalWatt employee.

In addition, the firm has received no tax dollars, the MEDC spokesperson said, and it won’t until it has completed work on its facility and is staffed with Michigan residents.

GlobalWatt got state incentives in December 2009 to help build a plant in Saginaw to manufacture solar modules. The plant is anticipated to hire as many as 500 workers.

But the Mackinac Center said an investigation it conducted indicated claims that GlobalWatt was offered up-front cash in Texas to put the plant in the Longhorn State may not have been truthful. Mackinac Center officials said they were told by Texas officials no such offers were made.

The claim comes some months after a scandal involving a company called RASCO occurred, where tax credits were offered to what was apparently a non-existent firm run by a convicted felon known as a con artist. After the credits were announced, the company’s founder was arrested for violating his parole.

Since then other safeguards have been added to check on applications, but critics have charged the MEDC still has not strengthened its scrutiny of companies sufficiently.

GlobalWatt lists a Saginaw address on its website and a local phone number, but a call to the company went through to a sales office answering machine. No one from the company returned the call.

Neither could officials in either the Saginaw city development offices or the Saginaw Chamber of Commerce be reached for comment about the project.

However, Mike Shore for the MEDC issued the following statement on the accusation: “We have seen no evidence to substantiate the allegations being made against GlobalWatt. This appears to stem from a dispute between an employee and his former employer, a company we have recruited to locate and create jobs in Michigan. We have vetted the company and look forward to their success as the solar energy manufacturing enterprise we all want to see grow here. We have provided job training funds to Delta College to help area residents become the trained workforce the company will need. Beyond this, no tax dollars have gone to the company and none will until it is up and running and staffed with Michigan workers. Simply put, there is no story here.”

There was no further explanation on who the former employee might have been who might have started the complaint.

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