Gov. Roy Cooper On Why States Spend Big To Compete For Jobs | The Problem With Jon Stewart

If companies will move where the good workers are, why do states need to bend over backward to offer tax breaks and other incentives to corporations who promise to bring new jobs? In “Globalization: Made in America,” Jon asks North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper why his state has done this and if that money might have been better spent on things that actually benefit the people who already live there. Watch the full episode now on @AppleTVPlus

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[matthewlaborde]

Imagine how many new businesses could be started with free small business incentives and more money pushed into education.

[westbunting]

As someone living in NC, yes, many jobs have and are coming to the state. So the incentives are working. However, the wages are not matching the growth so affordability is becoming more scarce for those already in the area. Another thing adding on to the imbalance here is NC and the Triangle specificity is a major and growing tech hub and it is common practice for this industry to import its workforce. Morrisville was literally built up to support the tech workforce. Also, NC is a Right-to-Work state which I am sure is very appealing to these new job providers. Unfortunately, there is no incentive for the population to stay. So the existing workforce is operating on hopes and dreams at best.

I don't want to completely shit on Roy Cooper. He has been able to provide a lot of positive to the state with an extremely conservative Senate and House working against him. But... John is right here. Roy is saying you can have your cake and eat it too, but you can't. Something has to give. And right now that give is coming from the workforce/general population of the state.

[acchaladka]

Why does a state “need to be at the table” with a corporation? It’s the state! The business environment is what it is, and ‘people are coming here because it’s a great place to do business.’ Falling over backward to give money to those with money. Meanwhile, child lunches in schools. Good segment and great questions J.

[andimayer]

"...wouldn't you rather have a tax credit for a company that promises you..."

The promise of a company is probably one of the last things I would ascribe any value to.

[sp-zsno]

I’m in nc. We are lucky to have gov cooper. He is a great democrat that works for the people.

[SamAtScareworks]

Everytime someone sits down with Jon, I fear for them. My first thought is always "You better be prepared!"

[lawyer]

Corporate welfare has become the way of life in the U.S. Examples include (1) taxpayer-fund stadiums for professional sports teams; (2) allowing businesses to keep the state and local withholding taxes they collect from their employees; and (3) giving $50 billion tax credits to computer chip makers. When I was going up, the politicians always talked about the benefits of our “free enterprise” system, but that was a long, long time ago.

[rogerrabbit]

Trillion dollar companies getting tax breaks?The tax rates are insanely low and still received more .Meanwhile, the Treasury hits me up for every nickel it can get.

[MMuraseofSandvich]

Jon is doing the investigative work that newsrooms have abandoned.

[tristyevely]

With the Republican NC General Assembly, a woman's right to choose would be gone in NC if it weren't for Governor Cooper.

It's sad to think sbout what Cooper could have done if he had had a Democrat majority in the the state house.

[openminded]

As a North Carolinian I remember Chiquita getting a deal to move their corporate center to Charlotte for some tax breaks, they even committed to staying after the contracted tax breaks. I may be mistaken but the way I remember it going down is that Chiquita made a deal with another city before their contract with Charlotte was over, for better tax breaks and left as soon as the contract was over. I'm pretty sure their offices are still vacant.

[dribrom]

A company never going to employ people they don't need. And a company will always employ people if they absolutely have to.

[chow-chihuang]

From my observation, companies that get theses incentives do the absolute minimum to meet their requirements in terms of jobs created, etc., then when the terms expire, they immediately start to cut costs (such as eliminating jobs) and start angling for further incentives, even threatening to cut jobs or move elsewhere, even if they have no intention to.
It’s a never-ending cycle of trying to squeeze money out of workers and municipalities. Talk about a “slippery slope” and “give them an inch and they’ll take a mile”.
To minimize the damage, contracts should include punitive actions for when companies fail to meet and maintain their end of the deal, and the terms should last long enough the municipality has a good chance of reaping the benefits they are hoping for.

[jhersk]

North Carolina resident here. I'm proud of Cooper's ability to hold his own in the this wonkiest of conversations. I don't really know who's right or wrong here. Jon had some good points, but then he's never had to run a state.

[tspencer]

And as usual, Jon Stewart is right: for the second year in a row, North Carolina is ranked dead last for workers.

Though to be fair, it needs to be pointed out that Gov. Cooper has very, very, VERY little power for what he can do here- we've got one of the most corrupt legislatures in the country here, and when Cooper was elected to office, that legislature stripped him and his office of a significant number of traditional powers to get things done. We're absolutely stuck here when it comes to getting anything done to benefit the residents of the state, so the only hope that I think a lot of progressives have here is that enough workers coming from out of state will vote blue that they'll kick the bastards holding us all hostage out of power.
-North Carolina native

[jenniferr]

I am actually impressed with my Governor's ability to explain the nuances of our state. Very few things exist in a vacuum. It would be great if we all believed in exactly the same things, but I believe that incentives to create jobs is not the same level of human damage as abortion bans and LGBTQIA rights removal.

[muzzymuzzy]

Corporations took egregious advantage of the south and it has kept it's inhabitants some of the poorest

[dvdv]

Citizens United effers everything up, it's as simple as that.

As long as that stands, politicians will have no incentive NOT to be corrupt.

[xygmugc]

Roy's not kidding. We've grown at a ridiculous rate. Roy's done good for this state. I like him a thousand times better than McCrory. McCrory was the devil in disguise. Roy does do the incentives but that's why the RTP is what it is today. We have tons of big employers which in turn helps my business of cleaning houses thrives. The more people in the area the more customers I can have. That goes for all the small businesses that have been here for decades before the population boom. I know there's better ways to get companies to come here but at the same time we're benefiting from the increase of revenue. Wake county schools have gotten so much better with the growth in the RTP. I've lived in Wake co for over 35 yrs of my 43 yr life & am proud of what it has become. Don't forget we had Jesse Helms too. We have a history of electing the wrong person. Cooper is far better than anyone we ever had.

[bigjimmitchell]

North Carolina is the best place to do business while at the same time the worst place to be an employee. We don't put that in the brochure though.