On the surface the decision by Connecticut gun manufacturer PTR Industries to relocate to South Carolina is a good thing – an apparent triumph of the marketplace.
But that’s not entirely the case …
We know the company – which is leaving Connecticut in the wake of the state’s new restrictive anti-Second Amendment legislation – received offers from forty-one other states. We also know six of those states made the final round in this competition for an undetermined number of mostly low-income positions.
And South Carolina “won,” which invariably means our state made the most generous offer involving undisclosed taxpayer-funded incentives provided in exchange for the company’s decision to locate here.
And one other thing … it’s worth noting that a big chunk of the jobs associated with this project will actually be Connecticut employees moving to South Carolina, not South Carolinians getting hired.
Obviously the move will still have economic benefits associated with it, but will those benefits outweigh the costs? And even if they do outweigh the costs, why should PTR Industries get incentives that aren’t available to your company? Isn’t that picking winners and losers in the marketplace – a strategy which has failed our state miserably?
Yes …
“We would love to see PTR and numerous other gun manufacturers locate in the Palmetto State,” we wrote last month. “These companies are clearly no longer wanted in the kneejerk Northeast, and as U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan has repeatedly stated South Carolina should welcome them with open arms.”
But we shouldn’t have to bribe them with public money … which is what’s happening in this case.
***
46 comments
PTR made a wise business decision, SC on the other hand…..
PTR made a wise business decision, SC on the other hand…..
Jobs!
Jobs!
What is the cost per job and what is the pay? Unlike Boeing, the ‘supplier’ benefit will be nil, I would imagine. This was probably done to give Haley and the GOP some red meat for the dittoheads.
I read some backtracking this morning. Looks like only 24 people are moving here from Connecticut to work. That leaves 115 or so jobs for us southern dummies.
Those 24 people moving here will start to pay taxes and spend their money here anyways.
Yes, and I’m guessing they are the ones who will be making the most money (way more than the other 115), paying the most taxes, spending the most and buying the most expensive houses. I just hope we didn’t sell our souls to get them.
New hires starting out at 19 bucks an hour. Nobody else is paying that around here. I don’t like incentives, but in this case this business is needed here. It’s about time we got a new industry, one not dependent on tourism.
What is the cost per job and what is the pay? Unlike Boeing, the ‘supplier’ benefit will be nil, I would imagine. This was probably done to give Haley and the GOP some red meat for the dittoheads.
I read some backtracking this morning. Looks like only 24 people are moving here from Connecticut to work. That leaves 115 or so jobs for us southern dummies.
Those 24 people moving here will start to pay taxes and spend their money here anyways.
Yes, and I’m guessing they are the ones who will be making the most money (way more than the other 115), paying the most taxes, spending the most and buying the most expensive houses. I just hope we didn’t sell our souls to get them.
New hires starting out at 19 bucks an hour. Nobody else is paying that around here. I don’t like incentives, but in this case this business is needed here. It’s about time we got a new industry, one not dependent on tourism.
What is sad, is that they chose to locate in Horry County. Horry County historically has one of the most anti-gun Councils to be found in SC, along with Georgetown County. Too bad they didn’t located in Lexington or maybe Kershaw Counties or somewhere else that is generally pro-gun. Oh well, I’m glad they are coming to SC, regardless of which county they are locating in.
Huh? You are saying that Horry County Council is anti-gun? What have you got to back that up?
Just reaching back from memory, over the years they have tried to pass a multitude of ordinances which placed crushing restrictions on shooting ranges and the like. I would have to do a lot of digging, but them and Georgetown County have been on the radar quite a few times over the last decade or so for this kind of thing.
What is sad, is that they chose to locate in Horry County. Horry County historically has one of the most anti-gun Councils to be found in SC, along with Georgetown County. Too bad they didn’t located in Lexington or maybe Kershaw Counties or somewhere else that is generally pro-gun. Oh well, I’m glad they are coming to SC, regardless of which county they are locating in.
Huh? You are saying that Horry County Council is anti-gun? What have you got to back that up?
Just reaching back from memory, over the years they have tried to pass a multitude of ordinances which placed crushing restrictions on shooting ranges and the like. I would have to do a lot of digging, but them and Georgetown County have been on the radar quite a few times over the last decade or so for this kind of thing.
Alan Clemmons deserves the credit for this new member to the Horry County Family. Yes, he had help from some others like Tom Rice and the local economic folks. The Commerce Department had to finalize the incentive package, but it was a local initiative lead by Allen Clemmons that brought home the bacon. This is a good first steps for Horry County and I believe that Mr. Clemmons may have a few more companies in his sights.
Alan Clemmons deserves the credit for this new member to the Horry County Family. Yes, he had help from some others like Tom Rice and the local economic folks. The Commerce Department had to finalize the incentive package, but it was a local initiative lead by Allen Clemmons that brought home the bacon. This is a good first steps for Horry County and I believe that Mr. Clemmons may have a few more companies in his sights.
Fits you failed to mention that Governor Rick Perry lost to South Carolina again!
Fits you failed to mention that Governor Rick Perry lost to South Carolina again!
You’re right, we shouldn’t have to bribe them with public money, but what else do we have to bring to the bargaining table? Bottom-of-the-barrel SC doesn’t have a strongly skilled or educated workforce like most other states, nor does it have a thriving, robust economy. Lower taxes is easy enough to find in any southern state when you are coming from the highly taxed northeast, and lots of the other states in the south use the same strategy we do, offering incentives to attract jobs.
You can stand on principles all you want, but if and when it doesn’t work, I doubt you’ll be the one shuffling to the unemployment office because of it.
You’re right, we shouldn’t have to bribe them with public money, but what else do we have to bring to the bargaining table? Bottom-of-the-barrel SC doesn’t have a strongly skilled or educated workforce like most other states, nor does it have a thriving, robust economy. Lower taxes is easy enough to find in any southern state when you are coming from the highly taxed northeast, and lots of the other states in the south use the same strategy we do, offering incentives to attract jobs.
You can stand on principles all you want, but if and when it doesn’t work, I doubt you’ll be the one shuffling to the unemployment office because of it.
It’s competition. It’s business. No one will be doing anyone any favors. The mfg. has the leverage and the states bid. That always is the case.
How bad South Carolina gets screwed depends on how badly the pols….. mainly Lil Nikki
of course …..need the pub and can spin it into big news !
It’s competition. It’s business. No one will be doing anyone any favors. The mfg. has the leverage and the states bid. That always is the case.
How bad South Carolina gets screwed depends on how badly the pols….. mainly Lil Nikki
of course …..need the pub and can spin it into big news !
Any details on the incentives?
Do you think those numbers will ever come out? Hell no, because I can promise you the cost per job is astronomical. All just so Haley can blow her own horn. I only wonder if the agreement has that company here for a set number of years. Otherwise, we’ll just have another Mack Trucks on our hands, though on a smaller scale. Company will shut the doors here, move back to CT and rehire the workers they fired.
Any details on the incentives?
Do you think those numbers will ever come out? Hell no, because I can promise you the cost per job is astronomical. All just so Haley can blow her own horn. I only wonder if the agreement has that company here for a set number of years. Otherwise, we’ll just have another Mack Trucks on our hands, though on a smaller scale. Company will shut the doors here, move back to CT and rehire the workers they fired.
Maybe PTR doesn’t want to have to retrain a bunch of knuckle-draggers so they offered the people currently employed to retain their jobs once the company moves. It’s a good move for the company and it’s employees.
Latest news is that only 24 will come here from CN.
Maybe PTR doesn’t want to have to retrain a bunch of knuckle-draggers so they offered the people currently employed to retain their jobs once the company moves. It’s a good move for the company and it’s employees.
Latest news is that only 24 will come here from CN.
So South Carolinians are complaining about manufacturing jobs coming into the state. How bad did these same people complain when manufacturing jobs left the state?
So South Carolinians are complaining about manufacturing jobs coming into the state. How bad did these same people complain when manufacturing jobs left the state?
Taliban Named Best Place to Work 2013
DOHA, QATAR (The Borowitz Report) — In the latest publicity coup for the Afghan insurgent group, theTaliban today finished first in a newly released survey of the “Best Places to Work 2013.”
For the Taliban, who had just opened their office in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday, the honor was “totally unexpected and incredibly humbling,” a spokesman for the group said.
“This is the first office we’ve ever opened, so naturally we wanted it to be nice and all,” he said. “But to be named a better place to work than Apple and Google and the other amazing places on this list — whoa.”
Cited in the poll was the atmosphere at Taliban headquarters, which numerous employees described as “relaxed” and “fun.”
“People think that just because we observe Sharia law, we walk around with frowny faces all day,” the spokesman said. “The fact is, we have a lot of laughs here.”
One person not amused by the survey results, however, was the Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who threatened to break off peace talks with the Taliban if they do not immediately admit that the poll was a “total fraud.”
“Who was behind this so-called poll? The Taliban, that’s who,” an angry Karzai told reporters. “When they did their little ribbon cutting for their office on Tuesday, I thought they were publicity whores, but they are really taking it to a new sick level.”
Hours later, the Taliban spokesman offered this response: “Hamid Karzai doesn’t sound very chill. He’d really have to dial it back if he wanted to fit in at a workplace like this.”
Taliban Named Best Place to Work 2013
DOHA, QATAR (The Borowitz Report) — In the latest publicity coup for the Afghan insurgent group, theTaliban today finished first in a newly released survey of the “Best Places to Work 2013.”
For the Taliban, who had just opened their office in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday, the honor was “totally unexpected and incredibly humbling,” a spokesman for the group said.
“This is the first office we’ve ever opened, so naturally we wanted it to be nice and all,” he said. “But to be named a better place to work than Apple and Google and the other amazing places on this list — whoa.”
Cited in the poll was the atmosphere at Taliban headquarters, which numerous employees described as “relaxed” and “fun.”
“People think that just because we observe Sharia law, we walk around with frowny faces all day,” the spokesman said. “The fact is, we have a lot of laughs here.”
One person not amused by the survey results, however, was the Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who threatened to break off peace talks with the Taliban if they do not immediately admit that the poll was a “total fraud.”
“Who was behind this so-called poll? The Taliban, that’s who,” an angry Karzai told reporters. “When they did their little ribbon cutting for their office on Tuesday, I thought they were publicity whores, but they are really taking it to a new sick level.”
Hours later, the Taliban spokesman offered this response: “Hamid Karzai doesn’t sound very chill. He’d really have to dial it back if he wanted to fit in at a workplace like this.”
Just what we don’t need..more guns.. way to go S.C. join the rest of the violent nation
Just what we don’t need..more guns.. way to go S.C. join the rest of the violent nation
There are plenty of laid-off FN employees still looking for work. Why should should all those Connecticutters move down heah?
There are plenty of laid-off FN employees still looking for work. Why should should all those Connecticutters move down heah?
Yea, never work. Boeing and BMW and all the added businesses they brought not to mention Bridgestone Continental and Michelin’s have been a total flop
Yea, never work. Boeing and BMW and all the added businesses they brought not to mention Bridgestone Continental and Michelin’s have been a total flop