Editorial: Incentives are risky business

It seems anathema to suggest that government shouldn't do all it can to lure new jobs to our area, especially in the wake of rough economic times.

Governments everywhere routinely roll out incentives in the forms of roads, water lines and tax credits in an effort to bring new businesses to their community. There are state incentives. Local incentives. Slush funds of call kinds.

Clayton's effort to use economic enticements to lure an as-yet unnamed company, is no unique matter.

But we can't help but wonder if that's the best use of Clayton's limited resources.

The town has worked hard over the past several years to improve its appearance, its municipal infrastructure and its image.

The town now enjoys a reputation as a nice place to live with a well-eduated workforce that can bring both skiled and unskilled labor to potential businesses.

Ask three economic developers what a company looks for in a community and you're likely to get three different answers.

Some will say good schools.

Clayton can check that off.

Others will say a good quality of life for its employees.

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Still others will say a good transportation network is vital for a company to get its product out of the manufacturing plant and to its customers.

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It may be true that the economic development incentive genie is out of the bottle. Corporate America has grown to expect this special treatment and, states, counties and towns that don't play that game may be left out in the cold to some degree.

But at the end of the day, Clayton has a lot to recommend itself and a continuing investment in public projects are likely to be looked upon much more favorably than sweetheart deals that benefit million-dollar corporations.