To meet this challenge, we have joined with our affiliates in Maine and Connecticut to work for better jobs and responsible business practices. Not for some corporations in Maine. National Semiconductor, for example. Over the past several decades state and local governments have increasingly relied on these subsidies as centerpieces in their economic development strategies. Despite the promise of increased jobs and tax revenues, and the massive investments involved, these programs have not only failed to lift all boats - they have spurred a race to the bottom.
Governments compete with each other to see who can give a bigger break to corporate prospects.
Taking a hard look at these subsidy programs in Maine and Connecticut has yielded some remarkable findings. The question is whether it will hold corporation owners to the same standard that it holds single mothers. Politicians unwilling to answer this question in the affirmative can find themselves in trouble with the press. The lessons these papers have drawn from our research are being echoed across the Northeast. Economic development subsidy programs should be reformed to ensure that public assistance is based on attainment of clear goals, such as specific job creation targets at reasonable per-job cost limits, or meeting appropriate living wage standards for all workers, or full compliance with environmental and other laws.