Since publishing two stories about Nissan’s expansion in Tennessee (thanks to loans) and Ford also receiving billions, a few people have tossed around random opinions and declarations in the comments. So let’s take another look at things.
If it really were easier for Nissan to expand in Tennessee with an existing facility, why didn’t Toyota do the same? Toyota built a new factory in Southern Indiana in 1996 that will begin producing the new Highlander later this year. Why not build that facility in Kentucky near the Georgetown plant?
Take a look at how Indiana uses gambling proceeds to help its economy, unlike Kentucky which wants to help a specific industry. There’s also information about how Indiana scored the Honda expansion for $80 million in incentives– way more than Honda asked for. Where was the Commonwealth of Kentucky on this one? I mean, we were going to willy-nilly give $400 million to maybe build a three-wheeled electric golf cart from China.
While we’re on it, how did Kentucky lose out on the FutureGen clean coal facility to Illinois? No one can tell us that the people of Southern Illinois are more intelligent than Western Kentuckians. I mean, we’re the number three coal producing state in the country. We had Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Congressman Hal Rogers, the number two man on the House Appropriations & Revenue Committee. Not to mention Mike Duncan as RNC head.
We can’t help but think something is wrong with this Commonwealth. And we’re apt to believe it’s because of our tax code and our elected officials.
2 responses so far ↓
1 Thunder Storm // Jun 24, 2009 at 2:25 pm
The governors of this state continually compare Kentucky to our seven surrounding states. These past and current Governors always tell us how much better Kentucky is than TN VA WV OH IN IL MO. They we pay lower taxes, have lower consumer cosst etc. than them
I yell double BULLSHIZT!
If what our past and current Governorz sayz is true, why do all these other state land all these multi-billion$ facilities?
Could it be leadership as Jake says? Of course!
I read the article about what Indiana Gov Daniels is doing. All I can say is amazing.
Horse tracks are failing all over the USA. We want to prop up a failing venture, horse betting but where was the outcry when the tobacco farmers were put out to pasture?
They said grow tomatoes, grow grapes, farm fish and shrimp. Where was the hundreds of million$ to support out agriculture economy?
If were were smart, we would grow hemp, not marijuana, hemp. Not that there is anything wrong with marijuana, our last three Presidents have partaked of the herb.
We have missed the boat on the green economy chasing these phantom car and battery factories.
Ky likes chasing research dollars so we can make a few researchers rich. We research, others build!
2 David Harpe // Jun 24, 2009 at 5:02 pm
All you have to do to answer all of these questions is to look at your notes about the general assembly for the past week.
If anyone ever wonders why nothing gets done in Kentucky, all you have to do is look at Frankfort anytime they are in session.
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