This story from last week claims state and local government leaders’ efforts to foster companies doing business with the military “are paying off.”

At best, the article shows a correlation, but no general causation between government grants, incentives, and other spending and new or expanded private efforts to sell to the military. Having military bases in the state provided enough incentive for Military Wraps to focus its efforts and not be just another sign company. Unemployed textile workers have the skills some of the other companies need.

Yet again, we are left to ask how much good incentives actually do.