What jumped out at me were the reactions from politicos to the news that Dell is closing it Winston-Salem plant. Locker Room’s Becki Gray weighs in.
First you have Rep. John Blust, who calls his support for state incentives “a black mark on my record” while acknowledging that “when it comes in as a local incentive, it’s a lot harder to vote ‘no’ than if it’s for anywhere else.” Then there’s Gov. Bev Perdue, who said this is “why we must continue to fight for economic recovery here in North Carolina” and the state will “continue to aggressively pursue new business and job opportunities.” Yet that probably means more economic incentives, most likely to ‘green’ companies that will provide the fraction of jobs and consumer product Dell at least provided for four years.
Here in Guilford County, there’s Commissioner Steve Arnold, who “railed” against “politicians subjectively picking winners and losers in the marketplace.” Funny, that’s pretty much what fellow Commissioner Billy Yow — who voted ‘no’ along with Arnold to the Dell incentives—- said about Arnold’s $1.3 million incentives plan, noting “fair is ‘all for one and one for all’ and this ain’t it.”
Last but not least, there’s Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines, who says Dell will repay the city. I have a feeling W-S residents aren’t comforted by their mayor’s reassurance. I also don’t think politicians will learn anything from this debacle.