Statement issued Thursday morning:

Agreement provides $2 million over 3 years for $26.4 million equipment investment in local assembly plant

Fort Wayne, Ind. – Allen County Commissioners Bill Brown, Linda Bloom and Nelson Peters and Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry jointly announced today an incentive package for General Motors' investment of $26.4 million in equipment to build heavy-duty trucks at the local assembly plant.

"GM is an essential asset to not only Fort Wayne and Allen County but the entire region," said Commissioner Brown. "Their commitment to stay and grow production is vital to our future."

The proposed package will have the City and County evenly split the $2 million to be paid over three years to retain local jobs. It complements the County's tax abatement for the plant.

"GM's Fort Wayne assembly plant has become a national leader in efficiency and productivity, which speaks highly to the local people who work there," Mayor Henry said. "I appreciate the work of Commissioner Peters and the County on this project. The cooperation of the City and County on this incentive package for the heavy-duty line is critical for the retention of these manufacturing jobs."

The Mayor, Allen County Commissioners, City Council, County Council and the County Redevelopment Commission must approve the agreement, which is expected before the end of the year.

The GM assembly plant on Lafayette Center Road employs nearly 2,500 people with a $124 million annual payroll. About half of the plant's employees live within the city of Fort Wayne.