Lots of numbers in Richard Craver’s Winston-Salem Journal article on 20-year incentives era. You guessed it —–“there is no definitive way to determine what percentage of an estimated 13,045 jobs pledged in those packages were created by the recipients, and how many still exist.”
Here’s what jumped out at me:
Derwick Paige, the deputy city manager for Winston-Salem, said that if incentive applications are provided to the city, it is a public document.
“However, we typically do not get that information,” Paige said. “The information is typically provided to Winston-Salem Business Inc. — which is not public information — and they will then confirm it. We then disburse payment to WSBI, who in turn will make payment to the company; thus the reason for a three-party agreement.”
Taxpayer money going to yet another pseudo-governmental private entity, who can then claim that information is not public. Nice.
