We thought it was odd that Gov. Bev Perdue took the time to announce a Main Street Solutions Fund grant to “create or retain” three jobs at a nail salon. But she topped that today with the latest Main Street Solutions Fund grant of $41,419 to help rehabilitate an old house in Salisbury so that it can house a cigar shop and hire two employees. (The other grant would help support 18 full-time and 12 part-time jobs at a restaurant and wine shop in Lenoir.)
The press release from Perdue’s office follows.
Look, I have no quarrel with tobacconists. I managed the Tobacco Barn on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill for awhile in the early ’80s. But the idea that the Perdue administration — which sought to increase cigarette taxes by $1 a pack in 2009 “to reduce smoking and save lives” — is now handing out money to encourage smoking is rich. So is the use of pricey staff time to write ridiculous press releases.
But hey, at 32 jobs per press release, she’ll need to announce only about 100 more [er, excuse me, 1,000 more; let’s try 10,000 instead!] of these projects to make up for the 300,000 private sector jobs that have been lost in the state since the start of the recession. So long as no other N.C. companies announce additional layoffs, that is.
