Georgia's Small Govt. Vision vs. NC's (Atlanta: taxes, living, cost of living)

[architect77]

Here's an article relevant to Georgia's longstanding desire for small government and low taxes. It's basically noting that even the highest taxes in the South, North Carolina is still winning the war in recruiting new businesses and industry.

I think some Georgians might be interested in reading it....
Two visions of what N.C. can be - Christensen - NewsObserver.com

[Akhenaton06]

This goes to somthing I've said before. The reason why NC's population and wealth are more evenly distrbuted throughout the state is because it is the state that has taken the lead in making NC an attractive place to do business. You see it with Charlotte when the state initially relaxed the banking laws and you see it with RTP, which is the result of a collaborative effort between the political, business, and academic communities. Also, NC is pretty new to the whole incentives game that other Southern states have had as a cornerstone of their economic development strategies for a couple of decades now (which is why it doesn't have a big automotive manufacturing plant like other Southern states). On the other hand, the reason why GA is where it is--you have Atlanta and then a huge gap between the 2nd tier cities--is because of that "lower taxes, lesser regulations" mantra that just lure companies that don't pay as well because of very little demand in terms of education and skill or companies that do require educated, skilled workers but have to import much of that talent (my native SC being a prime example). Atlanta is the exception because it has historically had ambitious, progressive local business and civic leadership that has made the city what it is--not the state.

Sure people, especially in the South, like to bring up high taxes and the cost of living as negatives in places like the Northeast, but they have the educational institutions that produce highly skilled workers and that's why most of the companies headquartered there aren't going anywhere. Sooner or later the South will learn that it's a much, much better strategy over the long-term to invest in human capital instead of throwing every tax break known to man at multimillion dollar companies that can easily pack up and move once the incentives have dried up.