Tax abatements are antiquated, misused

Published: August 6, 2008 3:00 a.m.

Entrepreneur is a large national magazine for business professionals. The July issue had a fascinating article on tax relief. One point made me think about Fort Wayne’s rampant overuse of its antiquated and completely unjust practice of tax abatements.

In the article, David V. Brandon, senior vice president of Site Selection Group LLC, said, “Incentives are a two-way street. … If state or local leaders are willing to shortchange essential services to attract new business, you may want to reconsider that location.”

Look at it this way also: If you worked many years to build a business, would you be inclined to trust a city where public officials get a tax abatement on luxury condos?

DOUGLAS D. RODENBECK Fort Wayne

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