The objective of the Paris Texas Chamber of Commerce is simply to be a voice for those of us in the community who, otherwise, would have no voice.
Where else will you see, read or hear anything that dissents from or even question what citizens are told relating to a City of Paris issue, or an endeavor of the tax-supported Paris Economic Development Corporation (PEDC)?
When all other reporting entities are selling the same thing – and doing it with the same look, the same smell, and echoing what they’ve been told from the same source – isn’t there something wrong?
How many other local news entities are explaining that what’s being sold is something that will always cost taxpayers money, now or in the near future?
There’s no transparency on the what, who, why, and all the costs, but shouldn’t one entity, at least, be asking serious questions about those things?
Over the last five or six years, other than the Paris Chamber, which news outlet in Paris dissents or offers a counterpoint on what the local leadership is planning to do, is doing or has done, the way it is or is not being done, or will be done, and reports the total costs?
Yep.
None.
Not one.
They ignore the fact that each of us know there’s never complete 100% agreement on anything! There’s always someone who is like a pig with laryngitis; disgruntied.
(Yes; pitiful. A bad pun.)
Anyway, when it comes to what The Three Mustyrears advocate; then, its kumbaya – They pat themselves and the local Happy Talk media on the back, signaling a naive idealism and a sort of a touchy-feely, hand-holding spirit of a make-believe rosy-eyed unity.
However, as years roll by we never see, read or hear about the failures.
We never see, read or hear of all the incentives given or promises made to firms that locate in Paris, or how the decisions are made on which firms will be given or denied incentives. Especially, cash.
What are the guidelines on giving cash, if any? How is it justified?
Besides stupidity?
NEVER have taxpayers seen or read or heard the results of a full forensic examination of the total cost of the incentives given: Every dollar for every incentive is a direct costs to Paris taxpayers. Even the incentives are not reported: It’s always “and other incentives.”
NEVER do we ever see, read or hear the total cost of incentives provided to those industries and businesses that fail, but taxpayers need to know how many dollars we’re waving bye-bye to . . .
no objectivity, no accountability.
And until now, there’s been no public objections over the city council’s insanity(?) of giving themselves the right and the power to make life-time appointments to the PEDC’s Board of Directors.
But that’s another story for another time and another place about local cronyism ––
But is a supreme court of a few local cronies in charge of the public’s money for their remaining lifetime a good idea?
The main point of all this is that the only local effort for actual transparency comes from the Paris Texas Chamber of Commerce, and we’re only trying to inform everyone about the benefits of eating grapes – as our sole objective is raisin awareness.
(Yes. It’s a mental aberration, but never trust anyone without a sense of humor. Even a sick one.)
Paris has so many assets its hard to list them all. But our community and economic improvement and development organizations ignore them or play whack-a-mole when one wanting to go to work pops up. Assets all over Paris have bumps on their head.
The assets are unused deeds, while we grow weeds.
So, inside the Loop, much of Paris is dying. The things we should be doing, we ignore.
But we are determined to get all our eggs in the industrial basket – no matter what it cost us! We may not really know what we’re doing, but, come hell or high water, we’re going to keep doing it until the termites are the last survivors in a socialists paradise.
And that’s not funny … not even in a sad sort of way.
return to Paris Texas Chamber of Commerce
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Off-Track On “Economic Engines”
