I don’t mean to make light of people losing their jobs, but yesterday, Henredon Furniture announced it was closing its plant in Morganton (Burke County) plant, laying off 520 workers.
So I have to ask, why didn’t the state hold a special session to give a cash payment to Henredon to bribe them to keep the plant open?
Burke is a Tier 1 county and has suffered tremendous losses as furniture manufacturers have fled the state. According to the NC Employment Security Commission, the unemployment rate in Burke (6.8%) is a full percentage point higher than that of Cumberland’s (5.8%).
So why is it then that the General Assembly can’t write a check fast enough to "save" Goodyear in Cumberland County, but completely ignores job losses in Burke?
Is it because the plant isn’t union run? Or because the Senate Majority Leader isn’t from that county?
Questions of motive begin to come about when government tries to decide winners and losers. It also opens the door to corruption as we saw when Jim Black picked winners and losers based on how thick of an envelope he received in the bathroom.
Level the playing field and stop the opportunity for corruption. End incentives now and cut the corporate tax rate. Heck, you may just save some jobs in the process.
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