Orange County is giving the locally based division of German-based Siemens AG $367,000 worth of tax breaks over six years on a promise the company will create 637 new jobs paying an average $43,475.The state is kicking in with a $1.4 million incentives package.

For Siemens, the deal means it will be getting back 85% of the $430,000 in property taxes it would pay over six years. For the county, Siemens' projection that only 19 of the 637 jobs will pay an average $98,000 is disappointing. The county had hoped for a much larger number of high-paying jobs.

GlobeSt.com couldn't reach Siemens officials at publication deadline to learn a construction timetable for the call center. But county staffers tell GlobeSt.com on condition of anonymity the project is expected to break ground in first quarter 2002 and be completed by first quarter 2003.