Kimberly-Clark Wants Incentives Vote By Month’s End

The state Senate majority leader says an incentives package would save one of two Kimberly-Clark Corp. plants in the Fox Valley that the company has planned to close.

And, Kimberly-Clark wants a legislative vote on those incentives by the end of the month.

Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said Kimberly-Clark would close its Neenah nonwoven plant that employs about 110 people. But the incentives could save the plant in Fox Crossing that employs about 500.

The Journal Sentinel reports Kimberly-Clark spokeswoman Brook Smith said the company wants a vote on incentives by Sept. 30.

Fitzgerald said he doesn’t know if legislative leaders could muster enough votes for an incentives package which would cost tens of millions of dollars.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker says it would be easier to call the state Senate back to vote on an incentive package for Kimberly-Clark after the November election.

Walker told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he’s working “hard” on reaching a deal that can get the necessary votes to pass the Senate. But he says it’s going to need bipartisan support.

Republicans have an 18-15 majority, but Republicans don’t have enough votes for the incentive package.

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 11:28 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018 with comments from Gov. Scott Walker.