Don’t buy into these forms of extortion and deception
There he goes again. Terry Branstad is going to create 200,000 jobs if he is elected. Didn’t he create that many jobs the last time he was in office? If we continue to re-elect him over the next 20 years and he continues to create jobs at that same rate, every person, rich or poor, will undoubtedly be beholden to him for his or her employment (according to Branstad).
Some people want to know what happened to the jobs he created back then. Do they still exist? Were they all high wage, factory or information technology jobs? What kind of wages did they pay, and what was the range of benefits provided by these employers? Terry can’t give you any good answers to those questions.
I thought the Capitalist mantra of Republicans and businessmen in general was that only businessmen, not government, could create jobs. However, it seems that the only way businessmen can create jobs now is with government help. Apparently, jobs can’t be created any longer without the state doling out sales, withholding property tax exemptions and credits to businesses.
The State of Iowa and our country are still in the midst of the worst financial crisis since the last Great Depression. It doesn’t seem to be in our best interest to grant tax exemptions to businesses that are fully capable of paying taxes on their purchases and property assessments. The state might help small businesses obtain low interest loans but shouldn’t give tax exemptions for fortune 500 companies, when our schools, state parks, levees and roads are in dire need of assistance and repairs.
If a job can’t be created without tax exemptions, then it wasn’t really sustainable — it was an entirely fictitious creation from its inception.
Greg Lee
Des Moines
Correction: In last week’s issue of Cityview (“Rapsheet,” Aug. 19), we reported former Pleasant Hill Sgt. Daniel Edwards pleaded guilty to two charges. The correct number is three.
Send your opinions to Cityview, 414 61st Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50312.
Fax us at 953-1394, or submit them below.
Please limit letters to 300 words (around 1000 characters) or less.
