Can politicians say no to anything?

Recently, the State House started to clear the way for Video Slots at racetracks. Local news cuts to Nan Whaley, where she is gushing about the jobs at the proposed Needmore racetrack. [note: there will still be a huge fight between track owners over the 50-mile radius guaranteed to track owners]

Much fanfare was made over the new GE Episcenter- where somehow, GE, a multi-billion-dollar company, gets a brand new building built with taxpayer support, gets to opt out of taxes and make “payments in lieu of taxes” to their new landlord, the University of Dayton- a private Catholic university- for the next 15 years with a TIF agreement. The following 15 years, they get reduced tax rates to the schools. Again- there is Nan all happy about “the jobs.” This is nothing other than corporate welfare.

No mention that gambling is a tax on stupid people- where the odds will always favor the house, never the bettor.

No mention that General Electric paid no U.S. Federal tax at all in 2010. Somehow, we’re supposed to get out of debt and fix our city by giving away the store.

Why do we allow politicians the power to give tax breaks in the first place?

We went to war over taxation without representation- how about a war on tax breaks without a vote by the public? If I wanted to invest in GE- I should buy stock- not pay taxes.

It’s time to outlaw tax breaks to any business that aren’t available equally- over the entire nation. No more shortchanging local school districts in order to “bring jobs” to a community, no more brinksmanship like the deals that were tossed around to keep NCR here.

It’s time to say no to all tax breaks at any level below the Federal level- and those, need to be put to a national vote. We can’t trust our pay to play politicians who are only worried about raising money for their next campaign to be involved in picking winners and losers anymore.

It’s time to just say no to tax breaks.

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