Comments on: Why Closing Ford’s Claycomo Plant Would Be Good for the Economy

By: Michael Harry

Michael Harry — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 01:12:02 +0000

All I hear from Ford supporters is that Missouri can’t survive without the Ford plant. Oh, really? The economic reality, as described in the article, is that Missouri will prosper if Ford is left to survive on its own. State legislatures need to protect tax revenues and use them to advance all Missourians’ interests not just those tied to the Ford plant. What happens after the 10 year subsidy is over, then what? Will Missourians be blackmailed again with the same threat: pay up or we’ll move out…….Make Missouri a competitive business environment and it will ATTRACT business and jobs. Special back room deals that target one industry over another or one company over another only fosters corruption among the greedy, power hungry politicians, lobbyists, and corporate executives that know nothing about running a business unless they have a government bailout.

By: Libby

Libby — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 14:21:20 +0000

I used to work as a Private contractor for Ford motor company. I’m born and raised here in KC metro area. I have several family members that work or have retired from ford. When ford offered me a job at the Ohio Assembly plant a jumped all over it. When I moved up there a didn’t realize they USE to have 2 running plants 20 miles from each other. One of them Loraine had recently closed down. A booming town right off of Lake Erie is now a ghost town. I had talked to several towns people that said for every ford worker there was 5 other people that had lost there job. Foreclosures were at an all time high, Insurance companies had to close. The list goes on and on.

If you think that this is not going to effect us if the Claycomo plant closes you are insane. You might say that ford doesn’t need this but everybody is not going to realize this will effect all businesses including SMALL. If you think that Liberty is a booming town now wait, it will turn into the ghost town I saw when I moved to Ohio.

By: Ron Calzone

Ron Calzone — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 03:37:04 +0000

Christine,

Great analysis! Oh for a few more Bastiats today. At least we have some bright folks, like you, who are wise enough to sit at his feet.

Fortunately for us we have a few state legislators who are also willing to learn. Last May Sens. Jim Lembke and Chuck Purgason read from Bastiat’s “The Law” in their effort to filibuster another mercantilistic bill.

Another bright spot is Rep. Ed Emery, who bucked the crowd and voted against these subsidy bills as they came to the floor.

We need to support such men.

By: Ruth Carlson

Ruth Carlson — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 02:44:06 +0000

Chrissy, great post!

Check out a video with Chuck Purgason talking about why he opposed giving Ford Motor Co. tax credits: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK_3SJOE0gM

By: Kourtney

Kourtney — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 17:06:48 +0000

$150 million in tax credits over 10 years. 3700 factory employees making a base wage of $55,000 brings $203,500,000/year into our local economy in the form of taxes, wages, etc (not even factoring overtime and the wage is factored on the low side). Now, factor in the people who work indirectly because of the Ford plant and add in many, many more jobs and wages (easily tens of millions/year). By the way, over 10 years, the Ford plant employees will have then made $3,052,500,000 in wages compared to the $150,000,000 spent to keep them there. Something to think long and hard about. It’s hard to believe and economy is better off minus $3,052,500,000 over 10 years. In fact, that’s probably why other states are trying to woo them. Bad argument, sister

By: john

john — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 18:35:24 +0000

As a Ford union member here in Clasycomo,remember that the parts companys here in Missouri, truck drivers, venders,schools,doctors,housing market, unemployement,places that you do business with every day will take a very large hit do to the fact 4000 workers not counting their families all do business with each one of these companies will take a hard hit. If you think you can survive with no Ford Co in Missouri you are wrong and the pressure will be on you to survive.

By: Thomas Duda

Thomas Duda — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 21:43:34 +0000

d'on, Unfortunately, the mechanics of public finance necessarily mean that giving money to Ford comes at the cost of either slashing state services or raising taxes and fees to backfill the outlay. If you think that spending on Ford in Claycomo is the number one priority for our state, then you should be quite pleased.

By: d'on

d'on — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:43:15 +0000

I guess that was a very eloquent way of saying that they can starve!!!! Don’t forget all of the other companies that will also go under as they supply Ford with parts. I was of the understanding that there would not be a tax increase for anyone because of this bill. Correct me if I am wrong.

By: Eapen Thampy

Eapen Thampy — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 23:24:46 +0000

ha, that was pretty clever.

By: Eric D. Dixon

Eric D. Dixon — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 19:03:33 +0000

No, thanks.

By: Eapen Thampy

Eapen Thampy — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:17:57 +0000

Assume, for sake of argument, a liquidity trap…