Business
Chamber Seeks Bankrupt Firms, Asian Boutiques
November 30, 2010 
The DAILY PAPER ran a page one story Monday about a new guy at the helm of the Chamber of Commerce’s “Boise Valley Economic Partnership.” It’s a scheme aimed at attracting new businesses to the Valley.
We certainly wish him luck, but after reading some of his plans and knowing the dismal failure of the previous $5 million project, we hold little hope for his $4million effort. Sadly, much of the funding came out of the pockets of local taxpayers, thanks to “donations” from local governments. We can’t blame “the economy” for all the failures in government, business, and personal finance. SOMEBODY caused the problem.
Here are highlights of BVEP’s goals gleaned from the Statesman story:
–“The partnership’s five-year, $5 million prosperity initiative did good work getting the Valley on the map for companies looking for new locations,…Somewhere between them landing in the airplane and then making a decision… there is something not happening here”…WHICH MEANS THE PROJECT WAS A FAILURE!!
–“What we’re looking for is where there has been a bankruptcy”…TALK TO CREDIT SUISSE!!
–“Site visits are up here. And they are starting to percolate all over the country.” AT THE END OF THE DAY IS THAT A PUSH BACK OR A TAKE AWAY?
–“They are looking at Idaho. They are looking at India. They are looking at China. So it is truly a global decision anymore”…WHERE TO GET CHEAP LABOR!!
–He envisions Chinese, Korean, and Silicon Valley companies creating “Boutique locations” in the Valley to take advantage of the labor force here. THAT WILL SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS!!
Finally we wonder if the Chamber tells business prospects the Idaho Land Board reserves the right to compete head to head with any venture through state-owned tax-exempt commercial ventures if there is a chance of making a profit.
To insure more advertising-free Boise Guardian news, please consider financial support.
Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Nov 30, 2010, 12:38 pm
What? Why not. We have a money tree and our credit is good. We’ve pushed the payday to way past our grave.
Psst: There is a reason why the sales staff is never allowed to run a car dealership.
Dec 1, 2010, 5:09 pm
Looks like Dr. Clarkenstein with Chamber of Commerce’s “Boise Valley Economic Partnership” thinks throwing $$$ toward shakey solutions at a problem will produce results. Germany’s Economy is not strong simply because they threw Money at it, or came up with subsidized schemes. They manufacture quality equipment and products across most sectors.
Contrariwise, Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece, Spain (PIIGS) have Bubbled out in Huge Unemployment and Housing Bubbles, with little Job Opportunity.
The “Boise Watercooler” or “Greenhouse”, (the Green business incubator) are little more than tawdry Taxpayer subsidized Political Propaganda Organs to “Tout Warm and Fuzzy” notions of job opportunity.
The Heavy Equipment being shipped from Korea through Idaho, to Billings and Alberta, Canada could NOT pass “Political” Muster in “Green” Idaho. Rather, the ability to manufacture such much needed Infrastructure Equipment was not available in Idaho, much less Boise. The Refineries are NOT in Idaho. Mining??? – Oh, Bieter doesn’t like that either…
Any business that manufactures anything remotely offensive to Tree Hugging Greenies is located outside of Idaho. Idaho is too Business Unfriendly EXCEPT to Government Subsidized “Environmental Luddites” that chant the Not In My Backyard (NIMBY) Touchy-Feely Socialist Mantra.
For example, look at the vast number of Firearms Manufacturers (Civilian and Military) … How many are in Idaho??? At least in Lewiston Ammunition is manufactured. Heck, New York (among a number of other States) has a significant Firearms Industry, with jobs paying more than $10 per hour.
Minnesota produces a High Tech weapon system for the Army (Minnesota’s Alliant Techsystems said that “the price was negotiated in advance of the purchase by contract at $35,000 per unit and the Army is expected to purchse 12500 of these rifles and have already taken delivery of the first shipment of them). All the laid off Micron Employees, yet Minnesota is Pragmatically Generating Jobs
As a result a number of other States in this REPUBLIC are positioning themselves for Growth & Real Jobs, with Environmental Oversight substantially beyond that of India and China.
Buy Idaho ??? Business is Voting With Their Feet – > Bye Idaho… ‘C’ ya Dr. Clarkenstein!
Dec 2, 2010, 6:48 am
Interesting article in October 2010 issue of Forbes Magazine that outlines micro-nation Albania’s economic strategies:
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/1025/opinions-steve-forbes-fact-comment-this-mouse-roaring.html
Highlights: flat taxes on personal and business income; low-cost leased land to new businesses; payroll tax cuts; strengthened property right laws, etc.
This is not an endorsement of the strategies, just a mention of them for what they are worth. At least somebody is cheerleading for prosperity somewhere in the world!
Jan 3, 2011, 12:56 am
I’ll do flat taxes when we have flat take home pay after taxes