NC's cash for jobs - at all levels
Published February 24, 2015
By Becki Gray
by Becki Gray, John Locke Foundation and NC SPIN panelist, February 24, 2015.
As the General Assembly continues talks on new corporate welfare – your state tax dollars doled out to whomever they deem the new “big thing”. It doesn’t stop there. Don’t forget your local tax dollars are in play as well.
Good example - Sanderson Farms chicken processing plant is being courted by Robeson, Hoke, Harnett and Sampson counties- all offering their own bags of goodies. And cities are in on the dealmaking too. Cumberland County is offering Sanderson Farms a 50 percent refund on county property taxes to be paid over a nine-year period if job targets are met. Fayetteville is offering grants if Sanderson reaches hiring quotas for minorities, women and non-violent felons with a promise of cash equal to 70% of city property taxes for 10 years.
This is not just happening for Sanderson Farms. While you are reading this, deals are being negotiated, favors are being handed out by your government officials with your money – hundreds of millions of your dollars.
There’s a better way.
February 24, 2015 at 8:33 am
Frank Burns says:
Job creation solves all of our problems by reducing demand for social programs and by tax receipts from newly hired workers. I see these programs as being worthwhile if they result in job creation.
