More details have been released about the president’s visit to Asheville this coming Wednesday. Chief on the agenda appears to be a visit to Linamar. I happen to like the blurb from the year-in-review sketch provided by Dufus over at the Asheville Tribune:
The city and county also picked winners and losers in supporting Linamar with corporate welfare. After receiving $2.7 million from the state, $2.2 million from the City of Asheville, and $6.8 million from the county, and even having the county purchase the old Volvo plant to hold until the Canadian-based company was ready to move in – Linamar returned with a request for more seven-digit tax assistance for a second expansion. While little guys were losing the struggle to pay taxes and stay in business, this was praised as a most-excellent business model.
Mayor Terry Bellamy has also announced she is interested in meeting with the president. Locals, including members of city council, feel helpless under the thumb of Representative Tim Moffitt. He took the airport from the city, and now he wants the water system.
Bellamy anticipates getting a chance to meet with Obama. She plans to bring up the city’s concern about Republican state lawmakers taking away control of the airport.
I’d have to reread the Constitution to figure out how this is going to work.
