Orr on Goodyear, Lowes

Submitted by ryanteaguebeckwith on November 13, 2007 - 3:35pm.
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Bob Orr is opposed to new incentives for Goodyear and Lowe's Motor Speedway.

The former Supreme Court justice and Republican gubernatorial candidate said in a statement today that the state should not reimburse Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. supplier PACC Lines for up to 30 percent of its shipping charges, as proposed.

"We simply cannot continue providing these kinds of deals to major corporate entities every time the state is threatened," he said in a statement.

He also said that the state, Cabarrus County and Concord should not spend $75 million to keep the Lowe's racetrack from moving. Part of the money would pay to widen U.S. 29 to six lanes.

"It is impossible to justify such an exorbitant expenditure," he said.

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Orr has a plan

Submitted by Anglico on November 14, 2007 - 10:05am.

for tackling the issues you're writing about. It has some merit.

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Re: Orr on Goodyear, Lowes

Submitted by ethanperry on November 13, 2007 - 9:30pm.

I think Mr. Orr is correct to be concerned about these incentives. They are a mess, for sure. Problem is, how do you stop them. I was talking about this very thing with an elder state legislator today. He feels the same, but used the Mercedes deal that happened some years ago as an example. Seems the two states being decided on were NC and Alabama. The NC powers to be finally said enough is enough, and Alabama got the plant.

Now, in retrospect, the retired legislator said it turned out Alabama later got all the "support" businesses for the plant to move into the area also, and then later got a Toyota plant as well.

So, after all these years, would NC have been better off being more aggresive to win the first automobile plant? No telling how many jobs would have been created, if that, all the support industries and the second plant come to our state?

This illustrates the problems created when states, or even municiplalities
within the state, started competing with each other using incentives. How do you deal with them now, unless you can agree to get everyone to stop. Then you go back to the benefits of a good labor force and whether or not a road or utilities will be built - as the incentive?

Look at the situation with Concord and Bruton Smith. He is the John and they are the prostitute being negotiated down to a nickle for services. How humilating can it get?

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