By John C. Mozena One of the most famous injustices ever perpetrated in the name of “economic development” happened 20 years ago when the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the city of New London, Conn. to use its eminent domain powers to seize Susette and Tim Kelo’s ‘little pink house’ to make way for private real … Continue reading The Supreme Court’s Big “Kelo” Mistake Was Trusting Economic Development Plans
America Began with a Battle Against Corporate Welfare
By John C. Mozena On a cold Boston night 250 years ago today, Americans started down the path to revolution by standing up against corporate welfare. Young Americans are taught in elementary school that the Boston Tea Party took place because the American colonials were “mad about the tax on tea.” The reality, however, is … Continue reading America Began with a Battle Against Corporate Welfare
Learning the Lesson from General Motors’ Subsidized Hit-and-Run in Chandler, Ariz.
By John C. Mozena General Motors is closing its Arizona IT Innovation Center in Chandler, Ariz. and eliminating 940 jobs there in an object lesson on government “economic development” programs’ ineffectiveness in the face of business reality. The short and tragic history of GM’s subsidized hit-and-run in Chandler should be a wake-up call for taxpayers … Continue reading Learning the Lesson from General Motors’ Subsidized Hit-and-Run in Chandler, Ariz.
CEA calls for St. Augustine, Fla. leaders to unwind PGA Tour subsidies after Saudi takeover announcement
Statement by John C. Mozena, president of the Center for Economic Accountability, on preexisting PGA Tour subsidies in St. John's County, Fla: Taxpayers in Florida will soon be subsidizing efforts to make a deadly regime more respectable on the global stage. Before that happens, elected officials in St. John's County, Fla. should unwind preexisting economic development … Continue reading CEA calls for St. Augustine, Fla. leaders to unwind PGA Tour subsidies after Saudi takeover announcement
State economic development agencies’ own data shows how little they matter
In honor of Economic Development Week, the CEA has performed an analysis of all 50 state economic development agencies' reported "job creation" results to determine just how much they claim to be delivering in results for their massive, multi-billion-dollar price tags. The result? Fewer than 625,000 jobs a year across the country, or less than … Continue reading State economic development agencies’ own data shows how little they matter