A land owner in Ascension Parish worries that a local sales tax dispute could force a Fortune 500 company to abandon its development plans in Gonzales.
Nolan "Sonny" Lamendola has an agreement to sell 18 acres to Emerson Process Management.
Emerson has been in Ascension Parish for 40 years and plans to build a $10 million expansion to consolidate six of its operations or subsidiaries, including two elsewhere in the parish.
Lamendola tells The Advocate that Emerson's development is being delayed because the city of Gonzales and Ascension Parish governments have not reached a deal to lower the company's annual sales tax payments.
The project is expected to bring 180 jobs to Gonzales, including 50 new ones, and the campus would have an annual payroll of around $9.2 million.