Open Wallets and Broken Rules in Greensboro
*Editor’s Note: Looks like incentive deals aren’t a problem limited to Charlotte. Our friends in Greensboro are experiencing similar misuse of government as outlined here by C4CG Co-founder Jodi Riddleberger.
Several years ago, during a church meeting, the pastor made a random remark about “prison time.” One man, who was seated across the room, let out a big laugh. The rest of the audience remained silent and somber. I was quite young at the time and my mom leaned over to me and whispered, “A bit dog yelps.” That’s the exact phrase that came to mind after reading recent quotes from Greensboro City Council members, regarding Amanda Lemert’s investigation into this year’s $4.35 million economic incentive give away.
In December Lemert wrote an expose entitled Analysis: Incentives in 2013 cost city $4.35M. In her article she also detailed a proposal to spend another $7.85 million of taxpayer money on a luxury hotel in downtown Greensboro. Lemert didn’t hold back, stating: “The council has been willing to rewrite or break its own rules to fund certain projects…. This has become the year of the open wallet.”
Open wallets and broken rules – that sounds like corruption to me. In fact, I asked my friends on Facebook for their ideas on economic incentives, which they described as unfair, bribery, a scam, crony capitalism, selective taxation, corporate welfare and campaign donations. But, Mayor Vaughan disagrees with my friends and stated in her rebuttal of Lemert’s article that giving away economic incentives, or taxpayers hard-earned money, is “A role that we (the city council) believe Greensboro’s taxpayers need and expect us to perform.”
Mayor Vaughan goes on to say: “It’s irresponsible to suggest that the council haphazardly offers incentives to every company that makes a request.” I would be interested to see the list of organizations that were denied taxpayer money by our Greensboro City Council, because they seem to give it out to virtually everyone – from Skip Alston to Proctor and Gamble. They tried to give $300,000 to a tv station, but the deal fell through at the last minute. Also, there was the $150,000 in economic incentives that the city council tried to hand over to the clothing manufacturer Gerbings, which ended up refusing the deal.
According to local media reports Zack Matheny was quite agitated about the lengthy Gerbings incentive process. He complained that the process was too slow and that Gerbings was unsatisfied. In Matheny’s opinion the city attorney’s office was “not very business friendly.”
Well golly-gee-whiz – imagine that. The city council couldn’t give taxpayer dollars away fast enough, so now Councilman Matheny is promoting the idea that Greensboro is “not very business friendly.”
There were over 50 comments on my Facebook page regarding economic incentives. My friend Christian Hine said, “I’d support a state constitutional amendment barring the practice. Make it clear that NC values ALL business, not just the ones who can afford lobbying efforts.” James Weaks said, “Waste… politicians picking winners and losers.” James Piedad said, “When it’s up to the city council which businesses are worthy of tax dollars, when we don’t have enough police and firefighters, I think priorities are out of whack.”
Jim Conrad said, “Manipulation. When the government creates a problem (excessive taxation), and then grants an exception to the problem IT created in the first place, don’t you think you are being manipulated?” I thought that was a great question – one worth thinking about.
Are we, the taxpaying citizens of Greensboro, being manipulated by our elected officials?
Lemert reports that councilman Wilkins said, “Incentives are a game we’re forced to play.” News Flash: We the People are tired of the political games that are being played, with our money, in order to advance the self-interests of a few politicians and their friends. But, until more people are willing to send e-mails and make phone calls to their council people, demanding that these types of political games are stopped, then we can expect more of the same.
Next time you hear about how savvy the political leaders in Greensboro are – by luring corporations through economic incentives – understand it for what it is: Wealth redistribution. Theft. Corporate welfare.
Don’t let the chorus of yelping dogs distract you from the truth.
***This article originally published on January 12th, 2014 in the Greensboro News and Record (Link Here) Used with permission of author, Jodi Riddleberger – founding member of C4GC (www.myC4GC.com).
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