Tag: incentive program

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.