Say Anything Blog

Big Government, Big Labor and Big Business go together.

All at the expense of small (or potential) businesses and consumers.

What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.

So North Dakota Republicans are really Democrat Lite?  Including the Governor?

I wonder if Thompson has really thought this one through?  Or if he’s been pulled in by a “buddy”?  Walters and Thompson are both from Lignite, ND, graduated from the same little high school, albeit years apart (Walters in ‘86, Thompson sometime in the ‘90s).  I really thought small town ND was supposed to “raise” better Republicans.

Fargo ruins everybody...except Kevin of course.

What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.

I’m frankly speechless.  Yet another reason to stop supporting most Republicans in Cass county, and to be wary of Roger Timm in particular.

So North Dakota Republicans are really Democrat Lite?  Including the Governor?

There are a lot of good North Dakota Republicans out there, but the Governor is absolutely not a conservative (at least on fiscal issues) and the people who side with him aren’t acting like conservatives.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

This is a very troubling development indeed.  But the solution is to others in Fargo that increaing taxes is bad for business.

But there is one thing I would like to correct.  Economic development corps don’t engage in economic planning.  Unless I missed where the EDC’s were saying how much businesses can make, when they can make it and how much to see them for, it’s incorrect to make such as claim.

Economic development corps don’t engage in economic planning.

Sure they do.  They might not tell businesses how they can operate, etc. but they do decide which businesses get benefits from economic development tax dollars.

And that is a sort of planning.  I, personally, don’t want my tax dollars funding small private committees who decide which businesses get help and which don’t.  All businesses should be treated equally.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

How do you compete when one business gets an huge subsidy and another doesn’t? 

You can compete in sales, hiring, and other things.

If these businesses were viable they wouldn’t need handouts.

What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.

Well think of it this way: Suppose you run a hardware store.  You’ve been in a North Dakota community for decades creating jobs, providing goods and services and paying taxes.

Then, one day, you find out that some of the tax dollars you generate might be going to some private development committee who, in turn, might use it for “incentives” for a national chain (a Menards or something) come into the community and compete with you.

Basically, you’re asking this business to fund with taxes efforts to bring in a competitor.

How in the world is that fair?  I’m all for competition, but why should new businesses get a leg up like that?

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

The people pushing this are hoping a lot of it goes into their pockets.

Ya think?

What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.

Guess what this guy is?

Our community will be better with approval of Growth Plan
Scott Kost,
Published Friday, May 23, 2008
I have had the privilege of serving on the committee that developed the Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corp. Growth Plan. It was 18 months of hard work by a lot of people in our community. But it was worth it. The Growth Plan is one of the most unique and exciting economic growth plans in the country. It provides Fargo and Cass County with the tools to compete successfully for world-class companies who will bring world-class careers for our children and grandchildren.

The Growth Plan builds on the strengths of our area. Our superb K-12 education system and our outstanding colleges are tops in the region and in the country. But, too many of our graduates are moving to other areas of the country to build their careers. The Growth Plan gives us the means to provide our outstanding graduates with exciting and fulfilling careers right here in Fargo and Cass County.

I have been involved in economic growth issues and job development in Casselton, N.D., for many years. This is the best plan I have ever seen. It holds real promise for all of Cass County.

It has been suggested that our rural areas and small towns outside the metro area will not benefit from the Growth Plan. This is not true. Cass County residents benefit from growth anywhere in our county. Growth means more revenue for the county, thus providing the funding needed to improve the lives of all our citizens.

Growth in our economy means growth in our population. Many young people will want to live in the rural communities outside of the metro area. That means more homes being built in Cass County communities and rural areas. That’s exactly what we have seen in Casselton, the community where I live.

In addition, our kids from throughout Cass County are attending and graduating from the exceptional colleges in our area. If they stayed to attend our great universities, why wouldn’t they stay if they had the opportunity to follow their dreams right here? We have the safest area in the country, the cleanest environment, the finest schools and colleges, growing cultural opportunities and a strong housing market. If we can combine that with new and exciting careers provided by new and exciting companies from around the world, we will be a destination point for graduates, not a stopover, on the road to their future.

In order to implement the Growth Plan, we need to fund it. The proposed half-penny sales tax on the June 10 ballot provides the funding needed to make this plan work. It is a tax that will end after 12 years. Strict accountability in handling the funds make it a very transparent spending process. The public will have a voice in every step of the process of spending the tax proceeds.

We need the Growth Plan, everyone agrees on that. Now, we need to fund it. Cast your vote on June 10 for the half penny sales tax. It is the right thing to do. Our community will be better for it and our future will be much brighter.

Kost lives in Casselton, N.D.

Then, one day, you find out that some of the tax dollars you generate might be going to some private development committee who, in turn, might use it for “incentives” for a national chain (a Menards or something) come into the community and compete with you.

What the hardware store owner would do in that case is go to the economic development commission and say, “Hey, Menards competes with me and in your rules it says that you can’t fund businesses that directly compete with me.” Then the EDC would say, “Your right, what were we thinking,” and the matter would be closed without Menards getting any money.

EDC’s are designed to give assistance to companies in industries that don’t exist in the EDC’s relevent market.  For example, other than Marvin Windows in Grafton, where is there another window manufacturing facility in Grafton.  To my knowledge, there wasn’t another one.

They’re not held to that, and in fact since they refuse to say what they want the money for we can only assume they’re up to no good.

What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.

They’re not held to that, and in fact since they refuse to say what they want the money for we can only assume they’re up to no good.

Actually from what the original Forum article said, the Cass County EDC was switich priorities from industry to high-tech and the health care industries.  The article said “Contrary to the old model, the development corporation’s new model focuses on attracting high-paying jobs by specializing in three technology growth sectors: embedded systems, vaccine development and biomedical device technology.” The article is at http://www.in-forum.com/articles/rss.cfm?id=201719.

Sure makes sense to me to give poor people’s money away so that someone else can get a new job.  After all those medical and high tech companies are hurting for cash.

What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.

Sure makes sense to me to give poor people’s money away so that someone else can get a new job.  After all those medical and high tech companies are hurting for cash.

As long as they make their money in ND, I don’t care how much they make.  Besides this is just the thing that EDC’s are for.  There really isn’t that much high tech and medical reaserch companies in this state and having more of them would help to diversify the economy.  Also, the benefits of having more businesses in the economy would be help everyone, including the poor person.  Having more business and more jobs means more money in the economy.  More money in the economy means that even more business would form to meet demand and one of them could hire that poor person you spoke of.  In other words the benefits of an expanded economy would trickle down to whomever that poor person is.

You can pretty much justify stealing anyone’s money if you try hard enough. 

Frankly it’s disgusting.

What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.

Am I the only one wondering how we’ve reached a point in North Dakota where Republicans, in a time of state-wide budget surpluses and booming tax revenues, are joining with unions in an effort to raise taxes?

I’ve worked with Rog on a few other projects, and from what I know of him, he’s a decent guy and a hard-working campaigner.  I’m still pretty skeptical of this plan, but in fairness to Rog, I asked him essentially the same question; here is his reply to me:

I have enclosed a few items for you.  Today’s [May 18th] Forum also includes some information.  We also have a brochure that I think you would find interesting.  I will make certain that you get several copies.

Basically, the demographic trends make it clear that we have to change the way we go about economic growth in the future.  The population base, as it now stands, will continue to get older & thus, we start to lose our tax base and our growth base.  The Growth Plan changes that process and targets those industries and businesses that have long term implications for the world economy.

It would also mean NO handouts of businesses looking at Fargo & Cass County.

They will actually pay to use the facilities envisioned in this plan.

Fargo & Cass County are the only communities in N.D. without a sales tax devoted to economic growth.  And, we are one of very few cities, our size,in the country, without a dedicated revenue source for economic development.

Fargo & Cass County are the only communities in N.D. without a sales tax devoted to economic growth. 

Too funny, they gotta keep up with the Jones’s.  What was the Fargo Dome tax sold as anyway?  Economic Growth wasn’t it.

Of course all of the strong growth in the Fargo economy should be able to pay for new ED.  I mean it’s not like they cut taxes or anything.

If these guys won the lottery they’d be demanding matching funds from someone else.

What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.

Basically, the demographic trends make it clear that we have to change the way we go about economic growth in the future.  The population base, as it now stands, will continue to get older & thus, we start to lose our tax base and our growth base.  The Growth Plan changes that process and targets those industries and businesses that have long term implications for the world economy.

That sounds remarkably like economic planning-by-committee to me.

I mean, what do “growth plans” have to do with free markets?

What the hardware store owner would do in that case is go to the economic development commission and say, “Hey, Menards competes with me and in your rules it says that you can’t fund businesses that directly compete with me.” Then the EDC would say, “Your right, what were we thinking,” and the matter would be closed without Menards getting any money.

So you’re saying the hardware store owner has to spend his time and money fighting a private corporation to make sure his tax dollars don’t get spent on a competitor?

That doesn’t sound fair at all.  That sounds ridiculous.  Especially ridiculous given how these economic development corporations aren’t exactly forthcoming with their plans for the tax dollars.

What if the hardware owner goes to protest only to find his tax dollars are already spent?

Again, this is a ridiculous use of our tax dollars.

It’s a shame that Republicans are behind this.  And the Republicans that are behind it ought to be ashamed of themselves.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

Fargo - like Grand Forks, Minot and Bismarck - has been benefiting from significant increases in tax revenues.  Why does the city need a new tax?

I think economic development is someone’s excuse to funnel tax dollars into their own pockets rather than giving it back to the taxpayers.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

How about you just recycle all of those wasted dollars on companies that took the money and didn’t pan out.

You know like Imation.  They took millions of dollars and now what? 

Great minds those e.d. guys.

What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.

Where’s my government hand out?
I promise to employ people with it.

Tired of mowing your own lawn Kevin?

What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.