A4 Friday, September 17, 2021 Mountain Democrat mtdemocrat.com
OPINION
Richard B. Esposito Publisher/Editor
Noel Stack Managing Editor
Krysten Kellum Associate Editor
Guest column
Tax breaks and corporate welfare
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oday’s politicians want to spend more on EVERYTHING: Amtrak subsidies, sports stadium subsidies, green energy subsidies, even fossil fuel subsidies ... President Joe Biden says the handouts will “put more money in John Stossel your pocket.” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi claims they will “protect the planet for the children.” They might. But a disproportionate amount of the money will end up in the hands of big companies — the ones with the most lawyers and lobbyists. A new documentary, “Corporate Welfare: Where’s the Outrage?” gives examples of this. My new video covers two of the worst. First, tax “breaks.” Memphis, Tenn., has a program called the Economic Development Growth Engine, meant to entice new businesses to move to Memphis by giving them tax breaks. The Growth Engine gave Swedish furniture maker IKEA a $9.5 million tax break. In exchange, IKEA agreed to create 175 new jobs. Local furniture sellers pushed back. “What about us?” asked Ron Becker, owner of The Great American Home Store. “We pay taxes here. Where is our financial incentive? Good question. Lower taxes would be a good incentive. But Memphis politicians can’t lower taxes when they’re giving big companies tax breaks. Such tax breaks are complex, so it’s big companies with plenty of tax accountants that generally get them. Memphis is “pitting these gigantic corporations who know the government and have tons of lobbyists against mom-and-pop shops in our community that we’re trying to save,” complained Mark Cunningham of the Beacon Center, Tennessee’s free market think tank. “You’re basically asking people to pay more tax dollars in order for their competitor to succeed over them. “These are our tax dollars,” he adds. “We work really hard for them. They should go to things we need: essential government services, roads, schools, police, fire. ... It’s just not the role of government to give money to big corporations.” Two years later, IKEA still hasn’t created all the jobs they promised and several local furniture stores closed. “Such programs begin with good intentions,” documentary host Johan Norberg points out, “but they result in unintended consequences.” He covers another handout with nasty unintended consequences: farm subsidies. Farm Bill supporters claim handouts and special crop insurance deals are needed to guarantee America’s stable food supply. That’s bunk. Fruit and vegetable farmers get no subsidies. There are no shortages of apples or pears. Crops do fine without subsidies. “Only the big guys who have the resources” get subsidies, explained Mercatus Center economist Veronique de Rugy. Some are not even American companies. “The largest pork producer in the U.S., Chineseowned Smithfield Foods, increased consumer n
See Stossel, page A5
Letters to the Editor A generous sheriff EDITOR: hank you, Sheriff D’Agostini and family. I was evacuated during the Caldor Fire and Sheriff D’Agostini and his family welcomed myself and about 200 others to take refuge on his land south of Placerville. The generosity and kindness of our sheriff is greatly appreciated. In a time of need and crisis, this man and his family stepped up. They took very good care of people, property and their livestock. We were provided good food and personal comforts daily along with a safe place to stay until the evacuation orders were lifted. Thank you again for your generosity, kindness and the compassion shown to our families and our communities during the recent Caldor Fire. DICK ZAMPA Placerville
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El Dorado County strong EDITOR: ince Aug. 14, El Dorado County has faced an unprecedented crisis. With tens of thousands evacuated, hundreds of residents dealing with the loss of their homes, with an entire community destroyed and with the fire still raging, the Caldor Fire continues to put us to the test. And yet, amidst the ashes and devastation, our community has risen strong. Within days of the fire everyone in their own sphere pulled together to help where they could. As Red Cross shelters were established with teams of volunteers, community sanctuaries popped-up to meet unmet needs. From the massive efforts at D’Agostini Ranch and Bayside Church, to the teams that pulled together to offer good food and fellowship wherever folks were scattered, to the thousands of quiet residents who have taken folks into their homes, the heart of our county is shining bright. I know we also continue to be amazed at the massive, dedicated efforts of all those fighting on the frontlines for us. From the fire crews who have come from far and wide, to incident command, to our local law enforcement and first responders, their herculean efforts have saved our communities. Moving in front of the fire, they have pulled patio furniture and flammables away from homes. They’ve done the vegetation management that we should have done. They have wrapped cabins in foil and lit backfires to save our neighborhoods. Words are not adequate to properly convey our gratitude. I have to commend our county staff, working
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diligently to anticipate and address the needs going forward, despite the fact that over 150 employees have been evacuated themselves and our staffing levels continue to be reduced by COVID-19. We are all committed to helping our county rebuild and restore while being fiercely intentional about what we all need to do to better manage our land. This massive beast of a fire has put us to the test, and yet our community remains strong, hopeful and resilient. Best of all, our community cares and our heart for each other is evident in the multitude of kindnesses that continue to be expressed. That will carry us through. WENDY THOMAS El Dorado County Board of Supervisors, District 3
Disturbing development EDITOR: n Aug. 31, instead of attending to the Caldor disaster which had 50,000 of our county neighbors displaced, some permanently, the Board of Supervisors spent two hours discussing the removal of District II (George Turnboo) Planning Commissioner Cheryl Bly Chester. After two hours they voted 3-2 to remove her. There was only innuendo — he said she said — but no facts given. When I was on the board we had several bad actors who needed similar removal but always the board made a concerted effort to meet in closed session to discuss the issue. Closed sessions do not always yield a record either. Some board members rather count to three to jam their will down others’ throats. Still, they stimulated frank or animated discussions allowing the entire board a full understanding of the problem, perceived or otherwise. It was disclosed Supervisors Turnboo and Lori Parlin did not have benefit of all the facts and no effort was made by Chairman John Hidahl or the initiator Supervisor Sue Novasel to educate either. The public was completely in the dark about the issue(s). Absent facts the public can only conclude Bly Chester’s ouster was a direct result of her animated objections to Parker Developments map previously approved by the Planning Commission. From start to finish Chairman Hidahl and Supervisor Novasel made their intentions clear. In her opening statement Supervisor Thomas made her intention clear as well. The jig was up for Bly Chester; she didn’t have a chance. More importantly the majority’s actions signal their intent to use their three votes in future actions
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See letters, page A5
The Not So Weekly Daley
Pro-life Texas style — making a list, checking it twice
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can almost taste the greenbacks rolling in. My sources in Texas are compiling a staggeringly comprehensive list of those likely to be responsible for performing or aiding and abetting the next illegal abortion in that Chris great state. Doesn’t matter if it occurs six weeks and one hour after conception. I’m coming down on them like a herd of longhorns in a Category 5 tornado. As of Monday, the list is up to 176 individuals and/ or entities identified as eligible and likely targets for lawsuits by me. It is based on criteria developed by my team — known affectionately as the “Southwest Snoops” or simply “My Snoops.” At $10,000 per case, that’s $10,000 times 176 and counting. That’s a lot of
money for just wanting to help a community, but Texas is my community just as much as El Dorado County and Indian River County, Florida, are my community. In fact, I guess all of mankind is my community writ large. I’m going after a Daley very wide range of perpetrators as well as aiders and abettors. I’ll sue the Texas power company that provides the electricity used to light the operating room not to mention the power for all the gadgets and devices involved in the actual procedure. And don’t think that orderly who wheeled the victim into the OR is getting away unscathed. — not for a San Antonio minute. What about the officer who drove her to the hospital after her car broke down on the interstate? You think her
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hands are clean? Not hardly. There’s a lunch lady behind the scenes too. You can assume that the doctor and other scofflaws who participated were served a coffee a tea or a hot chocolate and a biscuit or a banana in the cafeteria at some point before the procedure. It just makes sense that they would need a little caffeine and a comfort bite to prepare for the busy day ahead. There’s bullseyes on all of them along with the lunch lady herself. If you think I’m including the hospital’s clean linen provider and the sanitizer manufacturer on my list, give yourself a big Texas Lone Star. I wonder if any of the doctors, nurses or other technicians learned their criminal arts in a Texas medical school such as UT Austin or UTEP or Baylor, Rice, Texas A&M, SMU or TCU or anywhere else between the top of the panhandle all the way down to Brownsville. Those devil factories had better get their insurance paid up before they hear from me.
OK, this might rub some folks the wrong way but I’m also coming for the mothers. That’s right. Where would all those doctors and nurses and technicians be if it weren’t for their mothers who probably did their best to bring up god-fearing, rightwing listening, Republican-voting medicos — not Satan-worshipping abortionists and their hench minions. Their best just wasn’t good enough and they failed one of, if not the most important, duties of motherhood. And they are way up on my list of guilty parties upon whom I shall visit justice. Never mind that, late Monday, some bleeding heart judge put a hold or an enjoinment on Texas’ favorite antiabortion law. Last I heard it has to wait for some kind of phony-baloney court crock in February before becoming enforceable. That’s OK with me as it will give me at least five more months to expand the list, fine tune my suit and maybe get a new tie. Chris Daley is a biweekly columnist for the Mountain Democrat.
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