July 24, 2008
 
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Taxpayers Pick up Tab for 'Free Lunch'
 
Last night [Tuesday, July 22] there was an insightful & important public lecture at WVSU sponsored by Seneca2.org
 
David Cay Johnston spoke on his latest Bestseller: Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expense and Stick You with the Bill.
 
We are tricked to think jobs are created, when it only takes jobs from tax paying businesses to new companies who are deferred from taxes, who gained cheap lands thru imminent domain, and who otherwise take money away from communities. The local businesses help their communities by paying their taxes for schools, police, local services. These new super projects, sponsored by government, get tax deferments, and many financial advantages, at the tax payers expense. Then they do not return their profits to the communities but take the monies back to their owners in distant states.
 
Henry Elden, Architect, has written insightful letters about this over the years. Currently the City of Charleston is considering competing with tax paying local hotels with a new government (tax payer)) supported hotel near the Civic Center. If retail is profitable, then investors will act. When government subsidizes, the illusion of jobs, increased business just hides how the monies from the communities are diverted to distant owners without true benefit locally.
 
Ted Elden,
Architect ret. Charleston, WV
ted@abodia.com