Arizona -(Ammoland.com)- Many people in the gun culture have asked why gun manufacturers would stay in states that are consistently attacking Second Amendment rights. States such as New York and California.
Weatherby, Inc. is making the move. The announcement was made at the Shot Show.
From the press release email:
Firearms manufacturer Weatherby, Inc., is relocating its manufacturing operations and corporate headquarters from California to Sheridan, Wyoming, company officials announced today from SHOT Show in Las Vegas, the world’s largest annual shooting, hunting and firearms industry trade show.
The move is expected to create 70 to 90 jobs and more than $5 million annually in payroll in the next five years.
Outdoor recreation is an economic driver in Wyoming, and manufacturing plays a vital role in any economy, according to Shawn Reese, chief executive officer of the Wyoming Business Council.
“So, to bring those two things together – an internationally-known manufacturer of outdoor equipment headquartered in Wyoming – it will pay dividends, not only to Sheridan and northeast Wyoming, but this is a project of which the entire state should be proud,” Reese said.
Wyoming wooed the renowned gunmaker with its expansive access to unrivaled big game hunting, low taxes, industry-friendly environment, Sheridan College’s workforce training program and a comprehensive incentives package.
“We wanted a place where we could retain a great workforce, and where our employees could live an outdoor lifestyle,” said Adam Weatherby, chief executive officer. “We wanted to move to a state where we can grow into our brand. Wyoming means new opportunities. We are not interested in maintaining; we are growing.”
Governor Matt Mead and the Wyoming Business Council, the state’s economic development agency, began recruiting Weatherby a year ago.
“Wyoming is a great place to do business and is excited to welcome Weatherby to Sheridan,” Mead said. “For over 70 years, Weatherby has been an innovator in firearms design and manufacturing. The company will add to our manufacturing base and fit well with our diversification objectives.
“I thank the Wyoming Business Council, the Sheridan Economic and Education Development Authority, and all who helped bring Weatherby, Inc. to Wyoming.”
Weatherby called Mead’s enthusiastic support and accessibility a major asset for a company operating in a highly-regulated industry.
It is not hard to understand other reasons for the move from California to Wyoming. California has become a one-party state that passes more and more restrictive gun control legislation every year. Wyoming is one of the 13 Constitutional Carry states in the United States. California is one of the last eight “may issue” carry states in the United States.
California’s income and property taxes are among the highest in the nation. Wyoming does not tax income.
Federal taxes will limit the income and property taxes deduction to $10,000 as of 2018.
Weatherby’s President said the move was because of lower taxes and because they can manufacture guns in Wyoming that they can not manufacture in California. As some states become more and more restrictive, business will move to less restrictive environments.
Weatherby Inc. is currently located in Paso Robles, in San Luis Obispo County.
2018 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of constitutional carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and recently retired from the Department of Defense after a 30-year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
Wyoming did the same thing other states have done to lure both large and small manufacturing; it is providing subsidies that will eventually be paid for by other state residents. In most cases, those subsidies far exceed the taxes and economic development provided by the newly arrived companies. Weatherby is unlikely to prove any different.
Any business that doesn’t want to be taxed to death and actually turn a profit needs to leave Commifornia! I personally think any company that makes anything for the firearms industry should leave Commifornia.
I think that more companies are facing the realities of staying in a state like Mexifornia. I suspect that we will see a lot more companies and organizations moving out of Mexifornia and into more business friendly environments.
GREAT !! Good on management. The sooner the ‘thinking’ companys’ CEO get out of California, the sooner it will totally collapse – much like Venezuela. Which is what it will take for those people out there to realize how f’d up their ‘system’ is……
But, unfortunately, a LOT of pain for the normal wage-earner-tax-payer between now and then….
I thought Weatherby was moving to Alabama? Maybe I’m thinking of another company that’s leaving Commiefornia.
I try not to buy any weapon made in a commie state. The money goes to a state that treats their citizens like criminals, I don’t/won’t support that. Cal./N.Y./Ill./N.J./MD.are a few.