Ringgold’s recent annexation of three businesses near exit 345 on I-75 not only creates new tax revenue for the city, but also secures employment for some who would have otherwise been out of a job or forced to relocate.

At the end of January, the city council unanimously approved the annexation of the 50-acre Shaw Industries plant LM at 388 Armstrong Road. The plant could have been shut down had the annexation not taken place.

“That was one of the incentives in keeping that plant running here in Ringgold,” city manager Dan Wright said. “We needed to get sewer to those folks so that Shaw could keep operating there. At the time it was a little more than 100 jobs on the line. Those workers would’ve had to relocate somewhere else or possibly be out of a job.”

The sewer extension project is funded by the special-purpose local-option sales tax (SPLOST), which is a one-cent per $1 spent to assist with capital projects.

The extension is about three miles, running along the west side of Interstate 75 to south of U.S. 41.

In addition to Shaw, the city also annexed Ringgold Truck Center on eight acres at 458 Armstrong Road and the Kangaroo gas station on three acres at 11400 U.S. 41.

By bringing the three businesses into the city, new property tax revenues will be generated from each in the future.

Each year, about $6,267 will be obtained from Shaw, $1,179 from Ringgold Truck Center, and $975 from the Kangaroo, for a total of $8, 241 in new property tax revenue.

Although there will be new revenues, Wright said the main focus was keeping jobs in Ringgold.

“It’s not a large sum of money, but it was important to keep the plant here,” Wright said. “What was a little more than 100 jobs a few years ago is now closer to the 200-job mark.”