LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The return on the investment in a multimillion-dollar battery plant in Hardin County is in question after thousands of people were laid off.

Millions of taxpayer dollars were invested for infrastructure with the promise of major tax breaks and 5,000 jobs in Glendale at the BlueOval SK electric vehicle battery plant. But that all changed when the company announced in December it would lay off all 1,600 workers just four months after production began as Ford continues to scale back its electric vehicle strategy.

The layoffs raised questions about the taxpayer investment as revenue never came in, impacting the county's bottom line.

Kentucky invested $250 million in taxpayer money to bring BlueOval SK to the state. State and local leaders funded major infrastructure upgrades, including those on water and sewer systems. Hardin County alone spent $1.6 million in federal relief funds on projects tied to the battery plant.

"We do have quite a bit of infrastructure there in the Glendale area of the county, we haven't seen a huge amount of growth yet but we know it's coming," Hardin County Judge Executive Keith Taul said.

The project was expected to bring 5,000 jobs by 2031. But in December all 1,600 workers at the plant were laid off and a second plant never opened. Beyond a $250 million forgivable loan from the state, the deal also deferred BlueOVal SK's commercial property and net income taxes.

Taul, who wasn't in office when the deal was made, said that means the company won't pay those taxes for at least 15 years.

One of the only taxes the county collected was an occupational tax on workers, and it didn't last long. It was set to run through 2026, and would also be deferred after that. But the tax ended early when the plant shut down in December. 

Leaders estimate the county lost between $100,000 to $200,000 it had budgeted in its roughly $60 million budget. 

County leaders said it's "going to be tight" as they draft the budget for the next fiscal year. 

"If we can grow some services or not, all those questions we're starting to look at right now," said Taul.

Taul said taxes from contractors working to retool the plant could help offset some of that loss. 

A lot of the projects and taxes were based upon the projection of 5,000 employees. When asked how that complicates things for Hardin County, Taul said "it does create some change in plans."

"I mean, anytime you have a project things change and you have to be ready," he said.

With or without the plant, Taul said there is still a need for the infrastructure expansion.

"I think we're still going to end up on the positive side of it, for sure," he said.

The state has not yet responded to a request for a status update on the tax breaks.

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