There’s no question that the numbers were significant when Panasonic announced it would invest some $4 billion and create 4,000 jobs at a new battery plant in De Soto.
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said the investment was the largest in state history. And if Panasonic were to hire 4,000 workers, it would become one of the largest employers in the Kansas City metro area.
But that’s a big if.
The state’s agreement with Panasonic doesn’t require the company to create 4,000 jobs — or any jobs at all. Nor does it create minimum wage or salary standards for the firm — a crucial component of many economic development packages.
Experts say those are two glaring omissions in the Panasonic deal, which was shrouded in secrecy since Kelly pushed the Legislature to craft a new incentive program (APEX) specifically for Panasonic, though it may be used for other projects in the future.
The Kelly administration kept details of the project secret and required lawmakers who wanted to know specifics about the legislation — and the company behind it — to sign nondisclosure agreements. The APEX law even exempted proposed agreements and related documents from the state’s open records law, which is designed to promote government transparency.
Even with the state’s history of failed and secretive incentive programs, Kelly championed the new law, which created the largest corporate subsidy program in state history. She dismissed concerns about government secrecy as the cost of doing business.
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