From Rhino Times Reader “Term Limits.” (This was actually a comment on a story but I am running it in this space because it does raise an important question as to whether the incentives structure in the area has gone too far. After all, it is likely most of these companies would locate here anyway and, since those companies are expanding, it means it is money taken from strapped taxpayers and being given to prosporous companies. This also raises the question of whether rocket speed growth is always a good thing for a community.)
I have an idea, let’s prohibit anonymous corporations from receiving incentives. If a corporation wants to move here, make it known to the public. Maybe we don’t want the business in our county. We have a right to know who is taking our property tax money BEFORE it is given out. Why should the public’s water supply be threatened by growth that the government orchestrated?
In the past when a business was considering moving to a location, the considerations were taxes, transportation systems, a skilled workforce, and schools. Today NC cannot build highways fast enough and corporate taxes are low and going lower. More than 60% of the cost of roads is being paid for with federal dollars; NC could not build these huge concrete highways without federal money. These highways are creating rainwater runoff rather than the rain being absorbed by the ground. These highways benefit the local population very little. Yes, they shave off a few minutes, maybe, from a shopping trip. But the roads are being built for businesses and travelers passing through. Regarding skilled workers and schools, businesses are bringing in their own employees and using robots and AI to eliminate the need for local two-legged animals. So, what is the the benefit to having corporations that are paid with property tax money to move here? Ask the governor, the NC legislature, and Guilford County. What is the cost benefit analysis of the battery plant in Liberty, using the environment in the formula. I posit that the water problems are tied directly to the road building and the businesses moving here. This is something the government has direct control over but chooses to side with growth that will come back to bite the population on the butt.
Term Limits
Well this is what the transplanted majority keeps voting for so…. here we are. As usual.
There is a term for that, it starts with “f”.
I’m a transplant and I do not support incentives.
Don’t know what a transplanted majority is but until we can get the majority of TAXPAYERS to vote in the ‘off year ‘ local elections we will continue to have an expensive inept local government
Tax incentives have never made sense, in doing so 100% of the infrastructure burden gets shifted to the taxpayer. Your article is spot on.
I am a property owner in Guilford Co. and am totally against tax incentives for companies that want to locate in Guilford Co. We, tax payers pay the tab, without our consent. Property taxes will keep rising if we don’t say NO.
Roy Cooper’s “pay-to-play” accusations during the Atlantic Coast Pipeline negotiations, where it was alleged that he accepted $58 million for Pet projects in exchange for favorable decisions. The General Assembly ultimately redirected the disputed money to school districts in eight NC counties.
More than half of the firms that received state incentive awards through Cooper failed to deliver on their commitments. Out of 211,881 jobs promised, only 99,935 jobs were delivered.
And to make it worse, Cooper is probably going to run for federal office as a senate or house of representatives’ candidate. God help us!
Basically what Term Limits is saying is our ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, people who are supposed to be acting for our benefit are acting for the benefit of these large corporations (not to mention certain people who will remain nameless) . They don’t seem to give a hoot in hell about those of us they appear to look upon as cash cows and annoying peasants.
As the old commercial goes, ‘you asked for it, you got it’.
Businesses like the battery plant generate jobs, but the also create new housing developments that increase traffic in the area. The city and county are doing nothing to increase the roads or manage traffic on the roads to handle all of the new housing complexes. I often sit at one specific intersection on Randleman Road in south Greensboro for 5 to 10 minutes waiting on multiple school buses to unload small school kids in to one new housing development. I don’t have a problem with the kids unloading, they are quite cute to watch and bring back memories of my kids. But the problem is all of the buses unload on Randleman Rd. There is a long road leading down to the housing complex, but the buses don’t use it. Therefore, traffic on Randleman Rd backs up for blocks in both directions.
This is an example of just one problem these new developments have caused. I can only image the traffic problems that are going to development when that new Amazon facility opens at the intersection of Elm St and Ritters Lake Rd is up and operating. The construction trucks are already a problem. In addition, the city and Duke Energy been blocking and closing lanes in from of the Food Lion on Randlemen Rd for more than a year, and there are no signs of anything changing. They just keep moving wires around. But, as I stated nothing is changing. I looks like they are going to widen the the road, but if should not take over a year to widen one block of roadway.
Well said! I for one don’t think it’s fair that we the taxpayers, have absolutely no say in where our money goes. Skippy blatantly uses our money for his pet projects and always finds a way to funnel money from said projects into his personal pockets. Corporations, which bring in billions, should not be able to obtain our tax money as incentives either. They can absolutely afford to move into an area without needing tax breaks or anything else to do so. It’s not fair that we, the people, have no say in anything when it concerns our money. I for one wish these corporations would stop moving into our area. The country is no longer the country thanks to big corporations moving in, which requires housing which takes land. And this new generation doesn’t appreciate the value of keeping farm land. They sell fast because all they see are dollar signs. Wildlife is running out of land to live on and everyone wants to complain because the wildlife gets in their garbage. Well, duh! What do you expect when you are taking their homes and food supply. Big corporations might be great when it comes to offering jobs but lets get real, they are a drain on society when it comes down to it. We are going to run out of land and water if this continues. Wildlife will become extinct. And more than likely, these corporations are chinese based. That’s certainly not good in the long run.
If Skipper is supporting non-profits, he is the only one profiting. The various “projects” the politicians want to happen in GBO, in reality it is just a ruse for public money going to Skip’s non-profits, and he is the only one profiting from it.
Skip has a crew of ladies who will vote for anything he wants.
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You’re right. England is the same size as North Carolina (right on 50,000 miles (+/-)), but has a population approaching 60 million.
Overcrowding, congestion, traffic gridlock, unaffordable housing, concomitant crime, anonymity and loss of community, degradation of infrastructure, all these are the inevitable result of “growth”.
I liked the Greensboro I fell in love with in 1983, as a freshman at UNC-G.
Sorry about the errors in my post.
I agree incentives shouldn’t be given to corporations but our tax dollars have also gone to the private school voucher program who can not serve certain students and don’t.
What about the companies that fail to deliver after being given the expensive incentives? Look at what happened to Dell, and Herbal Life just a few years ago. Why not add incentive to corporations like Krispy Kreme, so we don’t lose jobs already established, versus romancing a firm from another country? Other firms have done it as well, but it has been downplayed or kept private, so it doesn’t reflect badly on our current Mayor’s “clean and positive” history of only doing good for Greensboro (and Cooper’s as well). Take the money from the incentives and put it towards the homeless, teachers’ pay, or admitting stopping the leaf collection was a bad idea. Look at all the zoning done in the final minutes behind closed doors. Who gets the kickback from the developers? Put the money to local shops that are surviving by a thread, and get that money back into our city, and not in the hands of an out of state large firm.
And, supposedly the meetings are punished, but, there are too many behind closed door decisions. If they are so “transparent “ prove it to your voters.
And, supposedly the meetings are PUBLISHED (spelling error from Google), but, there are too many behind closed door decisions. If they are so “transparent “ prove it to your voters.
Don’t forget, that while “we” (not really us, the politicians) are giving incentives to these corporations, OUR property taxes are skyrocketing. PLEASE wake up and quit re-electing the same people!
And yet another one coming at the next Council meeting! I’m sick of tone deaf people.