Corporate Welfare in East Millinocket

I told my best friend a few years ago that in my opinion, with very rare exception Corporate America did very little to make America a better place and in some ways could be described as having evil intent.

With outsourcing happening constantly jobs and jobs in communities have become worth their weight in gold. Politicians are judged by the economy and are loathe to miss any opportunity to claim credit for any new jobs that come about.

In these environs corporations routinely hold communities hostage to gain tax breaks, new factories and other such items in order to build, expand, or keep businesses in place. A community in Minnesota might lose a company with 300 jobs to a site in North Carolina who offers no taxes for 20 years.

Certainly it would seem that communities and states would realize that not doing this, that agreeing that whichever way it went someone was going to lose and win but that if both communities agreed not to give into being held hostage by these businesses they would all be better in the long run. Interestingly this is much the same practice that happens with companies and unions that strike. Certainly scabs must know that going to work is stealing is another mans job but they in times that are difficult cannot see the big picture, only their own situation possibly improving in the short term.

So now we have East Millinocket being asked by what must seem like the seventh or eight prospective owner of these mills since GNP sold. Each time a new owner comes to town more concessions are made by the union and or the town. Now with the mill possibly closing in May a new buyer has come in and stated they will buy the mill and keep the mill going and possibly add some jobs if the town will lower their tax bill from 2.5 million to $46,000.

That is not a misprint. A 2.5 million dollar tax break. Perhaps this could be considered if we had some sort of guarentee that the company would stay, not file bankruptucy, not sell in another year, but we do not. I am not sure what concessions have been made in the past by the town for previous buyers but I am quite sure that whatever promises have been made by previous owners have not been kept.

Maybe it is time to face the sad fact that mills cannot produce in the Millinocket area and make money enough to sustain operation. This seems remarkable and the truth is more related to the fact that unions have been gutted and their negotiating power is nill and companies will seek to put their operations where they feel they can get the most in terms of concessions from employees and towns.

Then we are back to the ribbon cutting politician. One wonders how many times a politician can get credit for saving the mills in Millinocket.

I do not have an answer. It is not these workers fault. It is all part of the globalized world economy, severley diminished union power and Republican enhanced power structure of business and banking. I do know that continually giving money to someone who is beating you up means you never have lunch money. Sometimes you have to fight back and if you take a beating know that you will survive and get up.

East Millinocket will make the decison they think best but my guess is a good part of those folks are tired of getting beaten up. I wish them the best.