While the federal government cuts back on defense spending, Charlotte taxpayers are actually spending more.

United Technologies is buying Goodrich, combining it with another company, Hamilton Sundstrand, and opening that headquarters in Charlotte.

Charlotte is giving United roughly $1.6 million in incentives. In exchange, United must create the headquarters within one year, keep it in Charlotte for at least 10 years and keep at least 90 percent of its jobs.

Council member Andy Dulin voted for the deal. 

"We know that we're in competition with other communities and the main question is: do you want to win or do you want to lose?"  Dulin asked.

After all, Charlotte wants to diversify and rely on more industries than just banking.

The Chamber said Charlotte already landed $1 billion worth of defense contracts in the past three years.

Some Charlotte residents also see it as money well spent.

"When the city give business money to move here, they profit too," William Cloud said.

Council member John Autry voted against it. He said he did not feel the city should be saying "no" to transportation projects and saying "yes" to companies that build products that are destructive.

There are four other major defense contractors with a presence in Charlotte: Goodrich, Curtiss-Wright, Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics. When asked if whether they have made any cuts in Charlotte, two of the four responded. 

"I think things have been fairly stable," Randy Belote of Northrop Grumman said. 

"They have not made any major changes," said General Dynamics’ Rob Doolittle.