Banner www.bristolblog.com

$25,000 Incentive Package for Ice Cream Shop

by Lewis Loflin


Within days of raising property taxes, etc. to cover shortfalls due to massive incentive packages for a shopping mall development the City Counsel voted to give $25,000 to the "ice cream lady" to open an ice cream shop - I kid you not. Bristol politicians claim this will create millions of new jobs and help draw tourists to our $12 million taxpayer funded Afterbirth of Country Music Museum. (No the country music industry didn't start in Bristol - all the stars dumped the place and left.)

Not to be undone Bristol Virginia Utilities while mired in all types of controversy gave $10,000 of public and rate payers cash to the Museum to help underwrite some music program. They also misused $200,000 in economic development funds from TVA to underwrite a music concert. Yet the City has problems funding its schools where as many as 70% of the children live in poverty. The City has at least 11 public housing projects.

Also note another eatery Quaker Steak and Lube was slated to get $280,000.

Published Bristol Herald Courier January 2, 2015

RE: GOP dominates SWVa. The sheeple of SWVa. Tri-Cities vote for Republicans determined to cut their throats, pilfering millions of public dollars for corporate welfare at the same time bitterly opposing expanding Medicaid.

"We don't want socialized medicine." What's Medicare, Medicaid, and the Veterans Administration?

"They are working for jobs." Really? Republican dominated Tri-Cities- SWVa. labor force is imploding, disability roles explode as thousands turn to that for a living, and the region continues to rank in the bottom of the nation in most social demographics. Check with Dr. Steb Hipple at ETSU. Check the Sullivan County Jail - we even got our own TV show! (Southern Justice)

Republicans refused to defund the Obama amnesty - they support more replacement workers to further depress wages for the working poor. Where were you Mr. Griffith?

Republicans have reduced public office to private fiefdoms. "Economic development" is catch-phrase for corporate welfare, lucrative jobs, and a bonanza for contractors, consultants, and their friends - and zero accountability.

$150 million plus looted for the Falls, Pinnacle, etc. BVU using ratepayer funds to underwrite millions (most of it hidden) for The Falls, a stupid music program, etc.

An $8 an hour call center crosses State Street, get millions in incentives, and we call them "new jobs."

Why is the Tobacco Commission even paying Dominion Energy $10 million? The $2 million being wasted to fund the so-called "Center of Excellence" I predict will produce nothing like the last $2 million. Other than bailing out a non-profit and the Abingdon Incubator the program suffers from vague goals, no measurable standards, and zero public oversight. The Phil Puckett scandal aside when will the public shut this scandal-ridden agency down?

Now back to Obama's birth certificate.

Banner www.bristolblog.com

Lewis' Frog www.lloflin.com

Web site Copyright Lewis Loflin, All rights reserved.
If using this material on another site, please provide a link back to my site.