MONTPELIER, Vt. (NEWS10) – Gov. Peter Shumlin has invited PayPal to locate a planned expansion that would create 400 jobs in Vermont after the company announced it would cancel prior expansion plans in North Carolina over disagreements with that state’s anti-LGBT law.

In a letter to PayPal CEO Dan Schulman, the Governor says the company can come to Vermont given the state’s proud history of non-discrimination and protecting the rights of all citizens. The Governor also cited Vermont’s burgeoning tech industry in his pitch.

“I believe Vermont would be a great place for you to locate your facility,” Gov. Shumlin said. “We would welcome you – as we do all our citizens no matter their gender, race, sexual orientation, or gender identity – with open arms.”

The Governor’s full letter to Schulman is copied below.

Dear Mr. Schulman,

I want to comend you for your decision to cancel expansion plans in North Carolina over disagreements with that state’s recent law which opens the door to descirmination against the LGBT community. Your decision is an adminrable one that reflects a set of values that we share in Vermont.

Vermont has a long proud history of standing up for our citizen’s rights. In 2000, Vermont was the first state to recognize that the love two people share is more important than their gender when we enacted civil unions. In 2009, Vermont was the first state to legislatively enact marriage equality simply because it is the right thing to do, not because a judge ordered us to. In 1992, Vermont was one of the first states to prohibit descrimination based on sexual orientation. In 2007, Vermont added gender identity to our non-desrimination law.

In addition to this proud history, Vermont also has a burgeoning tech sector. Companies like Dealer.com, My Web Grocer, and GlobalFoudries call our state home. Burlington, our state’s largest city, has been rated one of the ten most innovateive tech hubs in America and was recently designated by the White House as a TechHire City.

I don’t need to tell you about Vermont’s natural beauty since you attended Middlebury College, and we therefore we consider you one of our own. And don’t get me started on our world awarding winning farm-to-plate, farm-to-fork, and farm-to-can revolution that is producing the world’s best beer, cheese, and much more.

Given all of that, I believe Vermont would be a great place for you to locate your facility. We would welcome you – as we do all our citizens no matter their gender, race, sexual orientation, or gender identity – with open arms.

Sincerely,

Peter Shumlin

Governor