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PwC Reconsiders Claiming Tampa Taxpayer Funds

PricewaterhouseCoopers has decided to withdraw a request for $1.1 million in government incentives for keeping its employees in the firm’s Tampa offices, after a controversy erupted over whether the firm ever planned to leave town in the first place.

The decision came after an outcry erupted over the firm’s plans, according to Tampa Bay Online. County and city officials approved an incentive package to keep PwC from moving 1,633 jobs to South Carolina, Singapore, India or Argentina. PwC was also expected to erect a $78 million office building in Tampa and hire an additional 200 people.

But then it became unclear what PwC’s exact plans were. “We never considered moving those 2,000 jobs out of Tampa,” Florida market managing partner Mario de Armas said to the St. Petersburg Times. That contradicted claims that the firm had received enticements from other locales.

The firm’s attorney, Kenneth Tinkler, tried to put the matter to rest, writing to city and county officials, “PwC never expected controversy in response to its plans to remain and expand in Tampa.”

Tampa officials were relieved, but they now plan to review the process for approving similar applications for government incentives to keep businesses in town.

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