My decision to vote for the Amazon tax-sales exemption was not difficult. I guess I’m still enough of a blue collar Republican to understand the value of a good job – especially 1250 of them.
I’d rather see a man working than receiving an unemployment check. I’d rather see him paying taxes than on the dole. I’d rather see him keep his house than lose it. I’d rather see him with some opportunity created through his own hard work than with despair.
During a time of high unemployment and a stagnent economy, 1250 jobs and a $60 million per year payroll would have been a much needed benefit to Lexington County. The consumer spending resulting from that large of a payroll would have benefited both small businesses in that county along with state and local government through increased sales tax, property tax and income tax.
Make no mistake, the vote to kill the Amazon deal did not make an ideological point about “fairness.” It merely showed that we cannot be trusted to keep our word as a state and proved the short-sightedness of our elected officials.
And it certainly helped Wal-Mart.