Author: parischamber

In our community ignorance, some refer to the PEDC as the “economic engine” of Paris. They’re off-track. It’s a twisted concept that does harm: Economic development corporations were never intended to be the driving force – in charge – of solicitation, decision-making on awarding incentives, and financing.

An ethical conflict exist in doing all three.

Describing the PEDC as the local “economic engine” is a personal editorial. It misses their purpose: EDCs were to serve as the community’s bankers.

EDCs were to be responsible for doing due diligence for the community on every prospect: Determining credit-worthiness, assets, products, market acceptance of products, etc., of an endeavor – before recommending incentives or arranging financing. This was to protect the taxpayer’s – and their money – and later doing verification; making sure that the terms of the agreement are met to protect the taxpayer’s money.

Even though there are positive models to follow, Paris insists on pursuing programs that have failed to build the community. Examples include

  • keeping ordinances in effect that the city does not enforce equally;
  • establishing re-investment zones in areas where no investment has been made (except the land cost), while ignoring numerous substandard neighborhoods
  • diverting tax dollars from the public base to subsidize private businesses
  • giving tax relief to a few, while forcing others to pay more
  • giving, in cash, tax dollars as incentives; etc.

Not one of those activities can pass the “equal treatment” test.

But until enough potential voters grow tired of their ox being gored, Paris will continue to elect (and appoint) those who act to take money from a lot of pockets and put it in a few selected pockets.

It isn’t charges of corruption that exist so much as it is the costs of notorious and appalling duplicated ‘improvement efforts’ that end up opaque or wasted. For instance, the city, the PEDC, and what used to be the Chamber of Commerce of Lamar County, all three, claim to do “economic” development.

Yet, they seem to never see the wasted efforts, time and money, or understand that “too many cooks spoil the broth.”

No wonder so little is actually accomplished that economically improves the lives of all our citizens.

There is order in all things.

The “economic engine” is the community – which is made up of a lot of working parts: The PEDC is just one of many.

Without the community, the PEDC would not even exist.

There is no “free” stuff.

Prior to 1987, government giveaways to private businesses were unconstitutional in Texas. Then, not-to-bright-voters were sold on amending the state Constitution to allow “free stuff” (incentive) programs to serve a public purpose.

Of course, voters, everywhere, have been sold a lot of things . . .

On June l, 1989, the Texas Department of Commerce approved a City of Paris request for an Enterprise Zone. To secure the designation, Paris had to claim the area was a “social and economic liability” and a “menace to health, safety, morals and welfare” – and promise and warrant a list of incentives that would be made available for economic endeavors – not just industry – that would locate within the zone. (Chapter 312.202. Criteria for Reinvestment Zone.)

Thirteen (13) days after the approval, the Paris News reported a Chamber of Commerce of Lamar County spokesman said that no incentives would be made available to businesses; only to industry. This violated oft-repeated and published guarantees the City of Paris made in it’s request for a zone.

We know the City lies, and ignores its own policies and ordinances; think zoning changes, street construction, demolishing buildings without asbestos reports, sidewalk repairs, signs, and the list goes on.

And now, leadership is so desperate for a success story, we’re subsidizing retail outlets.

It is not enough to promise fair play or to write policies into plans that claim to be fair. Those are words. It is the practice, what we actually do, that determines fair play. Transparency. Honesty. Character. Honor.

But Paris believes in corporate welfare: We give tax money, land, and other incentives to selected firms for a promise to create jobs.

The total costs are never considered. Those in leadership making the wonderful claims don’t want to know the net gain. They maximize what the ones footing the bills are getting for their money, which maximize the leaders importance.

Questions concerning their conclusions are not welcome.

The Paris Chamber has deplored this nonsense for years. Only after ‘all costs’ are included can the actual net gain to the community be known. It’s the same claim that every dollar spent in a community changes hands seven times. The COST of generating that dollar is seldom considered.

But until the costs – including every penny for land, utilities, grants, buildings, salaries, retirement, health care, vehicles, travel expenses, fees, meetings, advertising, all like-and-kind contributions, promotions, cost-sharing, etc.– the total amount of money transferred from taxpayer’s pockets for a project are known, the folks making the report are selling a lie.

None of that is “free” stuff.

IF Paris is to be the kind of town that people want to live in, we should implement policies that encourage private business investment by easing and streamlining the bureaucratic processes and work for neighborhood improvement in all areas; things that build a perception of a community that encourage business growth and innovation, and that reward its taxpaying citizens.

THAT is the only worthwhile incentive program.

return to The Paris Texas Chamber of Commerce

Never reinforce failure, said Napoleon.

And he was never in Paris, Texas.

Most citizens have a big blind spot when it comes to what the Paris,Texas leadership does or how they carry out the few things that they do – or try to do when they do do something.

A majority of citizens say a lot of good things about one of the 23 towns named Paris in the U.S. of A.

Of course, Ted Bundy’s mother had good things to say about her darling boy.

Belle Gunness – known as “Lady Bluebeard” – who was married at least twice and killed up to 15 men for their insurance had something good working for her. Evidently.

And Joe Biden has only good things to say about his son, Hunter “China” Biden, the famous artist, drug addict, computer expert, and woo-er of an Arkansas stripper with access to funds from several very highly successful foreign economic ventures. (No. Not the stripper: “Hunter”!)

The same or similar good words are true of every serial killer, every paid-for politician pushing more big-government, freeloaders, a profligate immoral wastrel, today’s “Superstars”, a city like Baltimore. Chicago. Seattle. LA. San Fran. Houston. NYC. Milwaukee. Or good ol’ Paris.

Nowadays, if you can’t lie with a straight face, you can’t be a leader. Its in a law book. Somewhere.

Our local bunch try to convince the world – and especially themselves – that Paris is pretty much normal. And whatever is normal in Paris is normal in Paris, but it’s unsettling when you’ve done everything and there are no results.

So, most people in Paris are on medication of some kind … even if its just 77-pounds of fruit and vegetables everyday in a little-bitty pill.

A lot of people who come from families of local social standing or semi-moral character seldom consider Paris as a visitor’s destination. They’re happy under their medical care. Many non-visitors are happy, too, claiming their decision is what makes them proud to be a Texan.

But Paris has a great many qualities. One of those qualities is ignoring anything that means long-term progress, which in Texas is hard to do. Other qualities are resisting watching things close-up; not taking sides; refusing to join in on a worthwhile fight for survival, and seriously not getting involved.

Yet, Napoleon was never in Paris Texas.

But most people in Paris Texas think its almost good to be alive.

They have an aching heart in a city full of them.