Some companies benefit from state business incentive programs, and some companies really benefit.
Incentive programs aren't about to end, but there are ways to make them more effective. The differences can be as obvious as the roar of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle or as subtle as the meow of a cat. For American Cat Emporium, a small pet products firm in New Lisbon, the road to state financial aid was bumpier, the outcome less satisfying. The firm's owner, Linda Brinkman, by luck discovered a state program that might help her business. But the 11-employee company hasn't been able to do the expansion that would have permitted Brinkman to claim the credits.