Politics and Money

[extelecom]

speaking of dumb ideas... Illinois Tax Firesale
A case study in high corporate rates and special favors.
Illinois gained nationwide notoriety in January when Governor Pat Quinn signed into law a 67% hike in the personal income tax rate while lifting the corporate tax rate to 9.5%, the fourth highest in the nation. How is that working out?

The good news is that corporate tax receipts in Springfield are up by about $300 million amid the economic recovery—though the state comptroller's office announced in April that the state still faces $8 billion in unpaid bills. The bad news is that, according to the state's Department of Commerce, Illinois has already shelled out some $230 million in corporate subsidies to keep more than two dozen companies from fleeing the state. And more are on the way.

The ink was barely dry on the new taxes before major employers announced their unhappiness. The equipment giant Caterpillar, the spinal cord of the Peoria economy, says the higher business and personal income taxes will cost the company and its 23,000 Illinois employees $40 million a year. "I want to stay here, but as the leader of this business I have to do what's right for Caterpillar when making decisions about where to invest," CEO Doug Oberhelman said in the wake of the tax increase, adding that Illinois "is not favorable to business."
Caterpillar has long built new facilities outside Illinois to avoid the United Auto Workers, most recently in Texas. And after the Quinn tax hike, at least six states—from Virginia to zero income tax South Dakota—offered lower costs if the firm relocated. Caterpillar is staying put for now.

When the cellphone business Motorola Mobility hinted this spring that it might leave for San Diego, Mr. Quinn bounced into action. "I know how to work with the big businesses," he declared to the media, as he rushed—taxpayer checkbook in hand—to keep the company in the state. Motorola pocketed $100 million in tax incentives last month to stay in Libertyville.

Mr. Quinn's latest quest is to keep Sears in the state. In May, the retailer—based in Hoffman Estates with some 6,000 workers—hinted that it may look for a new home because of expiring tax breaks. The suitors include Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and even New Jersey. "We will sit down with the Sears people," Mr. Quinn promised. "I'm sure we'll work something out."

No doubt he will, since in two years in office Mr. Quinn has doled out corporate welfare to at least 80 firms, costing the state nearly $500 million, according to a tally by the Chicago Tribune. Late last year Navistar, the commercial truck engine maker, secured $65 million in handouts. Continental Tire nabbed $19 million. Even deal-of-the-day Web business Groupon, which is preparing an IPO to raise $750 million, grabbed $3.5 million in tax credits to stay in Chicago. U.S. Cellular got a $7.2 million package to keep its headquarters in the Chicago area, while Chrysler received an "investment package" worth $62 million for its Belvidere assembly plant.

The irony is that the recipients of these sweetheart deals are the very enterprises that Mr. Quinn was counting on to pay more taxes. Six months ago the Governor and union economists said the Illinois tax hike wouldn't chase businesses out of the state. Now Mr. Quinn is seducing businesses to stay by chopping their tax liabilities.

Illinois voters who were sold the historic tax hike on grounds that profitable corporations should pay "their fair share" might wonder how tilting the playing field in favor of those with the highest-priced lobbyists is fair. "Why should we pay the taxes that Motorola and other corporations don't?" asks Jack Roeser, the owner of Otto Engineering, an employer of 600 workers in Carpentersville. Good question.

But for Mr. Quinn and the political class, this is precisely the point. Politicians love high tax rates because they can act as brokers to offer tax breaks to the lucky few. Mr. Quinn poses as a populist for unions and the Democratic left in supporting high tax rates, while he then takes credit a second time for doling out tax favors that he claims will keep jobs in the state.

The victims are the thousands of businesses that don't get the favors, and an overall state economy that is less attractive for employers. That's one reason Illinois has ranked 47th of the 50 states in job creation in the last decade, and has lost more private jobs (360,000) than the entire private work force of Delaware, according to the Illinois Policy Institute.

Illinois is proving what bookshelves full of studies have found: Handing out special favors one business at a time is politically corrupting and an ineffective economic development strategy. A sounder way to create jobs is to provide a welcome tax and regulatory climate for all businesses. Some states, such as Arizona, constitutionally prohibit politicians from granting special favors to a business or citizen.

That's a sharp contrast to Illinois, where all businesses are treated badly but, if the Governor deems you worthy, you get treated a little less badly than the others.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304474804576370102955207570.html?mod=googlenews_wsj