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County Supervisors approve $20 million subsidy for First Solar Inc.
April 1, 2011 By 10 Comments
Arizona Politics for Conservatives: Sonoran Alliance
Arizona Politics, News, Commentary and Information with a Blatantly Conservative Worldview Presented by an Alliance of Writers, Activists, Consultants and Government Insiders.
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We’re not making any money by giving away this subsidy. First Solar will never pay enough taxes to make up for it, we will be lucky if we recoup one-third in taxes. Who are the Supervisors going to have to lay off in order to pay for the subsidy? This probably violates the gift clause of the Arizona Constitution, which prohibits giving away money to the private sector. Didn’t the legislature ban these kinds of subsidies?
This has Don Stapley’s fingerprints all over it. I hope the Goldwater Institute gets to the bottom of this. I guarantee you Stapley has cronies that run First Solar.
Ok so first, how does this have Don Stapley’s fingerprints on it?
And second, if you “guarantee” it, then show it. Quit making wild accusations. It just makes you look uneducated.
Goldwater will start looking into it when they are done investigating all of the taxpayer money wasted and lost in Tucson and then spent by Scottsdale and the Tribe here for the DBacks. Oh ya, that’s right-the Kendricks are big donors. I’d love to see how much First Solar stock Ken and the rest of the board is holding.
The court tower did not impact operating revenue as the County has been putting aside reserves for its construction for over a decade.
However, this “subsidy” to “create jobs” is extremely odd. Are we not receiving anything of value in return? Are we getting solar panels on county buildings or something? Is this a contract that has gone through the bidding process?
If not, then it is pretty clear that this deal most likely violates the gift clause. It is way past time for a change in leadership at the county.
It’s not a violation since there is a direct public benefit in new high paying jobs being created. the incentives don’t get paid unless people get hired.
“Direct public benefit in new high paying jobs”? Uh, don’t most businesses hire people? It’s a gift, so that they “create jobs”.
Besides grammatical errors and other things that make this look like a high schooler wrote it, there are a few blatant inaccuracies here.
First, it makes NO difference whatsoever that it’s sunny here. Anyone that says the sun makes a difference on deals like these is smoking something. This is an assembly plant with near clean room technology.
Apart for $2 million upfront for job training and infrasructure, the subsidy isn’t to create jobs, it’s when jobs are created. There is a huge difference there-this being based on performance, not hopes.
We are making money giving the subsidy. We are gaining nearly 5,000 high paying job that otherwise would have gone to Texas or New Mexico. These workers will spend their money here and be a huge economic engine. First Solar doesn’t have to pay the taxes to make this deal reasonable. Although they will pay million in property taxes along with all of their suppliers. If the workers don’t come, the subsidy isn’t paid.
This doesn’t violate the Gift Clause since there is a public benefit that far outweighs the cost. Again, this is performance based.
The illusive, “they’re getting their friends rich” claim with no facts or otherwise to back it up.
The more American Post-Gazette prints stuff like this, the more laughable they become.
Maybe you’re right. Instead of states falling all over each other to give taxpayer dollars to well-connected companies to locate in one state or another, perhaps it’s time for a Federal anti-gift-clause so that business can suceed or fail on their own merits instead of playing states off one another.
What’s it called when governments give money to inefficient producers for expensive products that out of work potential customers can’t afford?
Oh. Subsidy. Loss leader… debacle… waste … SNAFU …
We have get these people out of office.
Business as usual for B.O.S.
Probably feathering as many nests as possible for post elective “careers”!