What? You can't be serious!

If you have been watching the national debate about taxes you know that in general businesses are opposed to tax increases and additional regulation from the federal government?  Why?  Because they know that in general the money will be squandered away on some new boondoggle however good the intentions might be.  They know from experience that the money will most likely not benefit the overall economy which is what they need to help make their businesses more profitable. 

For those of you that have worked in the private sector you know that businesses are ultimately all about the bottom line.  They don’t spend money on things that don’t have a good return on them.  Well, successful companies don’t.  Even money businesses spend to sponsor a sports team or a charity usually has an ulterior motive – to build goodwill among customers in the hope they will frequent their business more often. 

The NO crowd has been telling us on a regular basis that the new city is just some type of socialist dream of left wing activitsts to tax and spend Peachtree Corners into oblivion.  They have claimed that the expansive borders of the new city were chosen so the new city could suck more taxes out of the business community.  Since businesses can’t vote they wouldn’t get a say in this matter.  It would seem logical that if the new city is just a tax and spend machine waiting to happen that will do nothing but suck businesses for more money that there would be zero support from the business community.  Right?  Any thinking person would agree that businesses are about making money so why would they support something that will give them no benefit and just hurt their bottom line.  Right?

With these assertions from the No crowd ringing in my ears I was absolutely dumbfounded to discover that many of the major employers in our area have for some reason come out in support of the city. Here are a few recent business endorsements……..

The Forum

Tech Park

Piedmont Bank

The Marriott

Recognize any of these organizations?

Now I’m still trying to figure out why a company would ever endorse an idea that might lead to higher taxes and fees?  Companies are about improving profitability so why endorse this idea?  Could it be that businesses see incorporation in the same light that the YES crowd sees it – a way to enhance our area by providing a superior ‘brand’ that will have multiple positive impacts including improved home values and greater political and fiscal stability in a time of great economic uncertainty?

The No crowd is trying to make this discussion about tapping into people’s fury about the reckless government spending at the federal level and about many people’s feeling that government is too intrusive in people’s lives.  The reality is that a limited service city will have minimal impact on people’s day to day life.  The other reality is that businesses don’t endorse things that don’t improve their bottom lines.  Businesses aren’t concerned about someone's narrow philosophical ideology about government.  They just want to make money.

The No crowd claims to be all about keeping government out of our lives and let free market generate jobs.  Well, the people who create the jobs in the free market – the business community – have come out in favor of the city.  Something with the No crowd’s argument doesn’t seem to be matching what is actually happening on the ground. 

I’m been speculating on what the response might be from the No crowd about why any free market job creating private company would EVER support something that might cause their taxes to go up.  I’ve concluded that the most likely excuses are 1) these businesses are have been offered some type of special “deal” by the nonexistent  city council 2) these companies are all run by left wing socialists who hate the private sector or 3) the leaders of these companies were threatened with physical violence if they didn’t endorse the city. 

So this weekend in between football games and raking leaves let me know your own thoughts on what conspiracy theory you think the No crowd will give for the business community supporting the city.