Incentives For Businesses: Good Or Bad?

"Since the mid 1990s, state and local governments in Florida have showered hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks, cash and other incentives on companies like AT&T that promise to invest and create jobs here.

In 2004-05 alone, an examination by the St. Petersburg Times shows, Florida's economic development efforts could cost state government more than $900-million.In a state with a $61-billion proposed budget, $900-million could pay for nearly 11,000 new teachers, prekindergarten classes for 150,000 4-year-olds and all of next year's tuition increase for more than 250,000 university students.

Supporters say they need incentives to overcome bids from other states and countries that spend even more than Florida to meet companies' demands.Incentives generate tens of thousands of high-wage jobs, they say, billions in state investment, a business-friendly image and a higher living standard for Floridians.

But such boasts by government officials from Gov. Jeb Bush on down gloss over some fundamental problems:"

Thanks to Cynthia Barnett