County OKs tax break for Semitool

The Daily Inter Lake

The Flathead County commissioners approved a partial tax break for Semitool on Wednesday, on a 2-0 vote.

In what was likely his last official act after two terms as commissioner, Bob Watne called in from Arizona to participate in the vote. He was joined by Commissioner Joe Brenneman in Kalispell; Commissioner Gary Hall was out of the country and unavailable.

Semitool requested the tax break as part of the county's "new and expanding industry" program, which offers incentives for continued plant investments by reducing the amount of property taxes manufacturing firms must pay on new equipment and buildings.

Earlier this year, the company acquired the old Costco property on U.S. 2 north of Kalispell.

Semitool relocated its machine shop to the new site, expanded the building and added more than a dozen new machine tools. It also built a new lab and storage facility at its West Reserve Road plant.

All together, Semitool invested about $7.3 million in the expansion and renovation.

It also hired 35 new employees, according to fabrication manager Bruce Severson.

No one from the public spoke during Wednesday's public hearing, and the commissioners quickly approved the request.

As a result of this decision, the taxable value of Semitool's new assets will be cut in half for five years. The value then will increase by 10 percent per year until the full taxable value is reached after 10 years.