From Christina Trotta, Harford Campaign for Liberty:
In February of this year, at the request of the County Executive, a resolution was introduced titled ‘Economic Opportunity Fund Loan for Kohl’s Department Stores, Inc’. Resolution 3-14 would have granted Kohl’s Department Stores $400,000 in a conditional loan from Maryland and $100,000 in a conditional loan from Harford County in exchange for the company creating a minimum of 550 new full-time jobs over ten years’ time at their new distribution center in Edgewood.
A conditional loan is a low-interest loan which is forgiven at the end of its term, provided the company meets the local and state governments’ agreed upon goals. The company makes no monthly payments, and frequently does not pay back the principal or accrued interest.
In the case of the proposed Kohl’s resolution, Kohl’s had already received over $2.3 million in tax credits from the state and county and $50,000 from county taxpayers for training of their new employees. With Resolution 3-14, it would have also been the recipient of another $500,000 and the county government would have set a dangerous precedent with the very first conditional loan for Harford.
Harford Campaign for Liberty made it well known through letters to the media and County Council, and phone calls to voters that this resolution was a frivolous use of taxpayer money. Due to our outreach efforts Council members heard from numerous constituents, all expressing their disapproval of the handout.
Instead of sending the resolution to a public hearing and vote, the County Executive’s office has pulled the request, tabling Resolution 3-14 and the conditional loans for the foreseeable future.
Harford Campaign for Liberty supports this decision and applauds the parties responsible for effectively killing the resolution. Making loans and giveaways to private companies are not the function of our local government. Furthermore, such handouts to private companies can create an environment of backroom deals, lobbying and favoritism. We believe that the county’s citizens are better served when county officials concentrate on improving roads, municipal buildings and other public assets, and attracting private investments by providing a great place to live and work – and Harford County is indeed such a place.
Christina Trotta
Steering Committee Member,
Harford Campaign for Liberty
Tea Party at work promoting their narrow minded agenda. I thought that promoting business growth, jobs and support to businesses that want to be located here would be a good idea, even if it takes some economic development incentives. It doesn’t have to be behind closed doors as the resolution would have to be approved and voted on by the council, not as a suggested payoff. The Tea Party is fast and loose with the truth as it suits them. Their idea that creating jobs is only something that happens by free will is plainly wrong. Virginia has used these same incentives to bring many employers to their state and it can only benefit the citizens of that state (a commonwealth, i know). These state funds are available for ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. The Tea Party needs to just go away…
Mr./Mrs./Ms./Miss Roman
Sir, Ma’am
You mean like the Beechtree TIF or the James Run TIF where the county made the bonds and gets nothing for the next thirty years?
Some good investment there.
John P. Mallamo
You have confused the TEA Party with the Campaign for Liberty (C4L). The C4L needs to go away, not the TEA Party. Please read the article.
TEA Party and/or Campaign for Liberty – I love how it/they “believe that the county’s citizens are better served when county officials concentrate on improving roads, municipal buildings and other public assets”–but oppose any attempt to raise the revenues needed to accomplish these worthy goals.
Oh, I forgot, the government will simply get the monies from the kind-hearted investors “by providing a great place to live and work”
When did anyone from either group ever oppose paying for anything you listed? None of your comments sound very moderate.
Increased tolls, gas taxes, flush taxes, user fees, etc.
So they said no to more taxes, not your dramatic claims of no to roads, etc.
The Tea Party and C4L are here to stay. Sorry to disappoint. Ms. Trotta’s points are well made and relevant. We should all be concerned when business and government get together at taxpayer expense.
State funds are taxpayers money. If you want to give your money to Kohls you can donate any amount at any store. I’ll keep mine until the Dems & O’Malley take it to give to illegals, dopers, welfare bums, and large corporations.
Don’t care what policy is in Virginia, or West Virginia or anywhere else. If taxpayers in those states want to bribe companies in hopes of luring them there be my guest. Excellent schools, open space, clean air and water, reasonable housing costs and a safe community is reason enough to locate business here. Throwing our money at folks to make up for a miserable business climate due to state policy is useless.
Excellent article Christina! I’ve lived in Harford County for two-thirds of my life. I’ve seen many changes, some positive and some negative, but it is still a fantastic place to live! Crony-Capitalism, which is what our County was basically engaging-in with Kohl’s (and Smith’s Detection in 2012) is a no-no. Let the Free Market do its thing…it’s the Conservative-thing to do. Government need not interfere, and try to pick winners and losers among companies.
the free market did “its thing” and nearly bankrupted the financial system and the economy with it for the past 6 yrs. Providing seed money for a project to create jobs actually pays for itself by bringing in jobs, taxes and higher incomes to those employed in the county. Being conservative and being stupid are not the same thing, although I am beginning to wonder if our Campaign for Liberty and Tea Party are just a bunch of morons running around complaining about every govt expenditure that doesn’t directly benefit them.
@Roman
Is it “the free market thing” you don’t want anymore.
Well “the free market thing”, what we like to call capitalism has raised millions of people out of poverty and is the greatest wealth-producing system known to man.
Unfortunately too much of our capitalist economy has been eroded by government intervention and control.
Ours is STILL a capitalist system (private individuals accrue the profits or bear the loss). Our capitalist system, however, is LESS FREE than it was originally in order to lessen or eliminate its abuses (e.g., water pollution, exploitation of workers, etc.).
So the fed is not currently printing billions every month to buy bad investments?
Roman, What you are referring to is not a free market. Our financial collapse was brought on by government interference in the real estate and lending market. Had the government not been engaging in social engineering through the regulation of home loans, much of what we experienced would never have occurred.
Both C4L and the Tea Party are irrelevant and can go f*ck themselves.
Phillip, are you a member of the Loons of America or are you a lone Loon?
Big deal. Kohls would make more minimum wage jobs where you can’t even afford to buy the items at the store .
Do we really need to pay to shop?