Downtown Georgetown
Why Don't Companies Want to Pay Their Fair Share?
RECEIVED Thu., Oct. 13, 2005
Dear Editor,
Thinking about all the various incentive packages that Austin and AISD have offered various companies in the recent past provokes the following:
If Austin is regularly ranked in the top 10 U.S. cities (often higher), why do we have to pay companies to stay, expand, or move here? Why do the companies not want to pay their share of property tax, which funds the schools? For years, companies have commented on and complained about the dire shortage of educated, qualified job applicants within the U.S. and Texas. A reason, they say, for outsourcing abroad or hiring citizens of other countries.
Seems to me that the most important resource a city has is its people. Seems to me that the most important investment a city or company can make is in its people – educating them so that they can and will, in turn, become future productive taxpayers and employees.
Thinking about all the various incentive packages that Austin and AISD have offered various companies in the recent past provokes the following:
If Austin is regularly ranked in the top 10 U.S. cities (often higher), why do we have to pay companies to stay, expand, or move here? Why do the companies not want to pay their share of property tax, which funds the schools? For years, companies have commented on and complained about the dire shortage of educated, qualified job applicants within the U.S. and Texas. A reason, they say, for outsourcing abroad or hiring citizens of other countries.
Seems to me that the most important resource a city has is its people. Seems to me that the most important investment a city or company can make is in its people – educating them so that they can and will, in turn, become future productive taxpayers and employees.
Mary Patrick
