In Case You Missed It: Bipartisan Support for Enterprise Zones
Two editorials in Modesto Bee demonstrate bipartisan consensus on the importance of Enterprise Zones
(Modesto, CA)—The Modesto Bee today ran two editorials supporting California’s successful Enterprise Zone Tax Credit program. One editorial, penned by Stanislaus County Democrat Central Committee Chairman Gary Robbins, argued that if the Enterprise Zone program is eliminated, more people will be out of work. A second editorial by Republican State Senator Anthony Cannella argued that Enterprise Zones are an important tool to attract new business and stimulate the economy.
Modesto Bee: GOP should put finances before regulatory review
Oddly, I find myself in agreement with the main points in state Sen. Tom Berryhill’s commentary in the Feb. 15 Bee: We need to be concerned about jobs and putting forth the same old tired ideas does nothing to resolve our problems.
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Police officers, firefighters and teachers will lose their jobs. Construction workers will lose their jobs because there will be no more redevelopment funds. Workers in enterprise zones will lose their jobs because these zones will be unfunded. Real jobs filled by real people with real families. Gone!
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All these jobs will be gone even if the tax extensions requested by Gov. Jerry Brown are put on the ballot and passed. These severe cuts are necessary because of the failure of past governors to deal honestly with the budget and the greed of Wall Street that destroyed our economy.
Read the entire article at: http://www.modbee.com/2011/02/23/1570186/gop-finances-before-review.html#ixzz1Eu2rQvm1
Modesto Bee: CANNELLA: Shifting services to cities, counties, could cost more
While Sacramento grapples with how to close our state’s massive $25 billion budget deficit, cities and counties are understandably concerned about the discussions happening under the Capitol dome. As a former mayor, I know what a dramatic impact these conversations will have on local governments.
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Also disconcerting is the proposal to eliminate both redevelopment agencies and enterprise zones, the two primary tools cities and counties in Central California have to attract new businesses and stimulate economic growth.
Local governments rely on redevelopment dollars to fund major projects, which in turn create local jobs. Every year, more than 300,000 jobs are supported by these funds, including 170,000 jobs in the still-struggling construction industry — jobs we can’t afford to risk with unemployment standing at 17.6 percent in Stanislaus County and soaring past 12 percent statewide.
The elimination of enterprise zones would further stifle economic development and job growth by functioning as a tax on employers and job creators. Last year alone, enterprise zones helped save or create some 10,000 jobs every month across the state.
If we are to address our state’s long- term financial problems, we must get to work now to stimulate long-term economic growth — and much of that growth will take root first in our communities.
But that growth will be all the slower under the heavy burden of new public safety and social service responsibilities, combined with the loss of job growth currently supported by enterprise zones and redevelopment agencies.
In short, these proposals taken together would make it extraordinarily difficult — nearly impossible — for local governments to make ends meet.
Read the entire article at: http://www.modbee.com/2011/02/23/1570178/cannella-shifting-services-to.html#ixzz1Eu2NCNCI
