People Power Shuts Down Prestage Slaughterhouse

[rurallib]

http://iowacci.org/in-the-news-sidebar/people-power-shuts-prestage-slaughterhouse/

Huge victory for clean water, family farms, and environment.

After 5+ hours of public comment, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement members and Mason City residents celebrated a huge victory when the Mason City City Council voted 3-3 to turn down the Prestage slaughterhouse.

CCI members point to the shift of council votes as a sign that people power can beat big money power.

When first publicly proposed in late March, the city council approved the plan 6-0. The second vote was 5-1. And finally, after over a thousand people weighed in through phone calls, emails, petitions, and rallies, the City Council voted and it was a 3-3 tie, effectively stopping the proposal.

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Denying the proposal saves taxpayers in the state $15 million in incentives, local folks another $15 million in tax breaks, and at least $5 million in savings to the city for water and road upgrades Mason City won’t have to do. CCI members reinforce that public money should be used for the public good – not corporate greed.

Throughout the last 3 hearings, including over 15 hours of public comment, opponents expressed anger and concern that this process was “fast tracked”, that more factory farms would build in North Central Iowa, concerns about environmental pollution, and general loss of quality of life in Mason City.