 | |
| Parody: Not to be taken seriously. |
After jumping through flaming hoops for the neighbors, the city and the people running the company, Thieneman says the restaurant chain is now demanding city tax credits to build the project in Valley Station. If newly-elected Greg Fischer doesn't come of his wallet, the ol' hacks at Cracker Barrel will balk on the deal.
Good. Let 'em go somewhere else, I say.
One day people will look back on this extortion by the corporate chain and be amazed that such a demand could be made of the citizens. It is, indeed, who pays for "tax credits" to businesses in the first place.
Interested parties are already saying that this is Fischer's "chance" to "do something" for southwest Louisville.
I disagree.
This isn't about creating jobs. Restaurant servers earn $2.13 an hour. That's not an amount that's enough to justify dumping a truckload of city money on the corner to entice them to operate here.
This is about a rich company's attempted hold-up of this community by first agreeing to do business here, then not agreeing to do business here unless its potential customers foot the bill for construction, training, or whatever else they say they need.
Recently, much was made of a proposal in the state legislature to make mandatory drug testing a requirement to receive government assistance. In that spirit, I would demand a hair and urine sample from the businessmen making these tax credit demands over at Cracker Barrel headquarters.
We will be in touch after the results are in, fellas.
As far as Chris Thieneman is concerned, the local Tea Party's sweetheart sure was singing a different tune when he was running for mayor. The one-time "free market" supporter is now demanding the "boot heel" of metro government be applied in the form of free tax money so he can close his deal and line his own pockets.
As for me, I will continue spending my money at locally owned and operated businesses that don't threaten the city over tax credits. The money spent at these establishments stays in the area.
I hope you will join me in buying local first, and resist this destructive and dangerous trend of corporate welfare without any guarantees.
Eat at Christi's Cafe! http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Christis-Cafe/281012443172
ReplyDeleteRight on, support your local Valley Station businesses.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more. If hungry people isn't enough of a draw, they can go somewhere else!
ReplyDeleteI agree completely. In the day, a business had to um, pay their own way and do the actual work to make their profits. But it's like some corporations are getting into a welfare mindset, and then playing cities against other cities in a new race to the bottom. I do think it's actually better to let that lot sit vacant until a business that wants to behave like a real business wants to set up there.
ReplyDeleteCracker Barrel stock closed Friday @ $52.31.Let them payup to do business or look some where else.Hey Chris, did you forget about you stopped the tax for the libraries.Short memory to say the least. I hope you run for public office again.NOT.
ReplyDeleteCorporate Welfare at it's best. Looks its simple,If you feel you can't make a profit in the southend without a tax break, don't move your Cracker Barrel here. Why should Cracker Barrel receive an unfair advantage over the competition. What happens after the tax break ends. Will you close your doors? Stop playing politics with the southend and bring us some quality restaurants, who are willing to pay the same taxes as all the other competition does.
ReplyDeleteI like Cracker Barrel, but I'll feel much better about myself if I don't patronize their business for a bit. Think we might go to Jessie's Restaurant tonight, put a little money in the hands of some local owners.
ReplyDeleteIf Cracker Barrel wanted our business, they wouldn't work so hard to make us unhappy with them.
I would like to thank the executives at Cracker Barrel headquarters in Lebanon, TN for all the hits and page views the last several days.
ReplyDeleteThis is a perfect opportunity for readers to sound off and let Cracker Barrel know just what you think of their attempted hold-up of Southwest Louisville for tax credit dollars.
They are reading, and they are reading several times a day. In fact, there is one on now as we speak.
I'm thinking of taking some of this Google AdSense revenue I'm getting off of them and spending it at a locally owned restaurant.
Maybe the Mayor will agree to give them a few hundred thousand dollars since he campaigned on JOBS,JOBS,JOBS. Let us see how much money and tax breaks he is willing to give these Corporate hacks. NO TAX DOLLARS from louisville.I'll be eating at Our Best local owned resturant.
ReplyDeleteCracker Barrel has played, teased and plain old f*cked around with southwest louisville long enough. Put up or shut up. And do it without our tax dollars. Leeches!!!
ReplyDeleteFind somewhere else to sell your greasy eggs and MADE IN CHINA rebel flag crap. We are better off without your "country store". PLEASE PEOPLE, EAT AT CHRISTI'S CAFE AND JESSIE'S AND GRANNY'S APRON AND NANA'S!!!! We have a ton of good places to eat like this already and the money they make STAYS HERE IN THE SOUTH END!!!!
I am tired of the silly games as well. Let Cracker Barrel take their store and go elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteWe don't need them, and we don't want them.
Jessie's is where I'll be spending some of my money this weekend.
Rednecks!
ReplyDeleteI find it puzzling that the Ford and GE posters on here would say anything about anyone else getting a tax break myself. Millions have been given to both of these entities in tax incentives that have kept your jobs. They make millions in profits too.
ReplyDeleteA person making $30 an hour has a bigger impact on the economy than does a person making $2.13 an hour.
ReplyDeleteIt's really that simple.
Southwest is a working blue collar district. We work hard for our money. Cracker Barrel needs to go and try to “freeload” off of some other community.
ReplyDeleteThis is to the anonymous poster about the Ford and GE workers. Millions in federal,state,and local taxes are paid by these good paying jobs not counting the thousands of secondary jobs that they support around the state. I would ask you what the HELL is the role that your job plays in support for others in the state.
ReplyDeleteSo your point is that since you presume that your company pays more taxes then it is ok to subsidize your private company with my public tax dollars. As long as Cracker Barrel pays taxes as well who cares if they are more than Ford. A tax dollar earned is a tax dollar earned. Who gave Ford and GE the right to dictate what the threshold is for others? Kind of makes you look like the uppity guy many accuse the good Ford workers of being. As far as what the HELL my role is and my job in support of others around the State? Trust me you couldn't handle knowing the truth.....
ReplyDeleteIs that you Chris T.?
ReplyDeleteyou know these corporate people has had money handed to them for so long that its what they expect. lets stop this NOW louisville dosn't need to pay for another company who wants to do business in our town, if they want in let them pay for it themselves. thanks,terry
ReplyDeletein this economy anyone wanting to open a new store (large or small) holds the cards like it or not cracker barrel is doing the same thing Harley Davidson did to Shelbyville, the same thing every business in fourth street live has done and any other new minimum paying warehouse in the metro area. they have the upper hand and if our city government will not give them tax breaks some other city will.
ReplyDeleteSome of the worst corporate offenders are Hewlett-Packard, Verizon, Chevron, Ford, ExxonMobil and Bank of America. The biggest dodger is General Electric (GE), which, during a time of national economic crisis, actually made money on their tax filing in 2010. Though the company generated $10.3 billion in pretax income, it recorded $1.1 billion in tax benefits.
ReplyDeleteThe IRS estimates that individuals and corporations currently hold $5 trillion in tax haven countries. Nearly two-thirds of corporations pay no taxes at all, and the great vampire squid, Goldman Sachs, which received $10 billion dollars in taxpayer money during the bailout, negotiated their tax rate down to one percent. The entire tax haven scam costs taxpayers as much as $100 billion per year.
ReplyDeleteTax Shell Game: What Do Tax Dodgers Cost You?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.uspirg.org/home/reports/report-archives/tax--budget-policy/tax--budget-policy--reports/tax-shell-game-what-do-tax-dodgers-cost-you