ADM Bid For Tax Breaks Drawing Criticism

Oct 2, 2013 7:43 AM

A bid by Archer Daniels Midland Co. for $20 million in tax breaks as it decides whether to keep its global headquarters in Illinois has drawn criticism from some state lawmakers.

It came Tuesday as ADM executives testified before the state House Revenue and Finance Committee.

A Chicago Democrat on the committee, Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, likened such efforts to companies, in her words, "essentially blackmailing the state."

Rep. David McSweeney opposes the ADM tax breaks. The Cary Republican says granting individualized incentives puts the state in the position of picking business "winners and losers." He said he'd rather see across-the-board tax cuts.

ADM's global headquarters have been in Decatur for decades. Even as the global headquarters move, most of the current 4,400 ADM jobs in Decatur will remain.