Imports over-represented on this forum? (F150, van, spark plugs, engines)
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Technically they aren't the same thing. Effectively, however, they are the same thing. Not taking money from someone in the first place is effectively the same as taking it and then giving it back, and has the same effect on the bottom line, which is what Toyota cares about.
I don't think it's vastly different. Basically they're all being handed tax dollars in the hope that it will somehow trickle down to the workers and "create" or save jobs. The whole idea, though, is for incompetent companies to go away and be replaced by competent companies, as dictated by the market. When you get a government with the mentality that it can refuse to collect tax dollars as a way to promote jobs somehow, it's a short step from "refusing to collect" to "writing a check." Very short.
I don't agree.
A tax incentive lets a company pay less tax. In Texas it is commonly a break on property taxes. But it isn't an elimination of taxes. Of course it is justified by the idea that the company or business will attract desirable jobs - and the workers will pay sales taxes, buy homes (and pay property taxes). Businesses typically contribute vast amounts of property taxes in Texas - yet these businesses have no children in schools. Businesses "consume" roads, fire, police, etc. But I haven't seen any evidence that taxpayers (at least in Texas) were harmed tax-wise by a business that locates here, at least partly, because of incentives.
I don't like the practice. But states are battling each other for businesses. I haven't heard a good way to stop the use of incentives.
I think the feds rescued GM and Chrysler. GM and Chrysler should have both been restructured via bankruptcy. Kentucky is not rescuing Toyota. They attracted a well run company to build a high quality product in the state with good paying jobs.
A tax incentive lets a company pay less tax. In Texas it is commonly a break on property taxes. But it isn't an elimination of taxes. Of course it is justified by the idea that the company or business will attract desirable jobs - and the workers will pay sales taxes, buy homes (and pay property taxes). Businesses typically contribute vast amounts of property taxes in Texas - yet these businesses have no children in schools. Businesses "consume" roads, fire, police, etc. But I haven't seen any evidence that taxpayers (at least in Texas) were harmed tax-wise by a business that locates here, at least partly, because of incentives.
I don't like the practice. But states are battling each other for businesses. I haven't heard a good way to stop the use of incentives.
I think the feds rescued GM and Chrysler. GM and Chrysler should have both been restructured via bankruptcy. Kentucky is not rescuing Toyota. They attracted a well run company to build a high quality product in the state with good paying jobs.
Well, there is such as thing as incentives vs. giving away the store. In Alabama, the state bent over backwards in terms of the financial incentives to lure Mercedes-Benz in 1990s (to beat out other competiting states). M-B played hardball, and even asked the states in the running to pay the 1st years' of the workers' salaries. AL said yes, not only for their wages, but to train them, clear and improve the factory site, upgrade utilities, and buy 2,500 of the new vehicles to be produced. This was a $153M package. Depending on how calculated, the cost was between $153K to $200K per job created.
And the state struggled with the financing later - they actually tried (unsuccessfully) to raid their education funds to pay M-B (in a state that was last in elementary and secondary school funding), and missed a $43M bond payment in 1995, ended up borrowing from its pension fund at a junk bond to get it. Used the National Guard on a "training mission" to clear the land for the plant in order to save some costs.
Benefits? Spinoff jobs were probably about half of what the state had promised. Only 14% of the primary suppliers were located in the state.
Well, there is such as thing as incentives vs. giving away the store. In Alabama, the state bent over backwards in terms of the financial incentives to lure Mercedes-Benz in 1990s (to beat out other competiting states). M-B played hardball, and even asked the states in the running to pay the 1st years' of the workers' salaries. AL said yes, not only for their wages, but to train them, clear and improve the factory site, upgrade utilities, and buy 2,500 of the new vehicles to be produced. This was a $153M package. Depending on how calculated, the cost was between $153K to $200K per job created.
And the state struggled with the financing later - they actually tried (unsuccessfully) to raid their education funds to pay M-B (in a state that was last in elementary and secondary school funding), and missed a $43M bond payment in 1995, ended up borrowing from its pension fund at a junk bond to get it. Used the National Guard on a "training mission" to clear the land for the plant in order to save some costs.
Benefits? Spinoff jobs were probably about half of what the state had promised. Only 14% of the primary suppliers were located in the state.
Sounds like a bad deal for Alabama. Thanks for the info.
I've noticed that posters in this forum mention imported cars - mainly German or Japanese - much more than I see on the local roads. For a "cheap" family car it's a Honda Civic or Toyota Camry rather than a Dodge Stratus or a Pontiac Grand Am. For a "grandpa" car it's a Toyota Avalon rather than a Buick Park Avenue. For an "affordable luxury car" it's more often an Acura or Lexus or Audi rather than a Cadillac or Lincoln.
Why is this? Is driving domestic autos just a Midwest thing, or are the members of this forum disproportionately enthused about foreign cars?
You have to first explain to me which are the "American cars".
I turned my back on American cars when Ford cancelled plans of building the Fusion factory in Atlanta and decided to move it to Mexico and pay minimum wage and no benefits.
I buy Japanese and German cars now. And I make sure they are built in Germany and Japan. Their workers make at least as much as American workers.
You have to first explain to me which are the "American cars".
I turned my back on American cars when Ford cancelled plans of building the Fusion factory in Atlanta and decided to move it to Mexico and pay minimum wage and no benefits.
I buy Japanese and German cars now. And I make sure they are built in Germany and Japan. Their workers make at least as much as American workers.
So would Japanese or German makes that are manufactured in North America count?
My guess is that 80-85% of the cars sold in North America by Honda, Toyota and Nissan are manufactured in the US or Canada, with local content in/around 70-80%. Accords have been made in the good ol' USA for 30 years, imported from Marysville, Ohio. I don't think there's a lot of models from those 3 Japanese companies for sale in the US that are made in Japan, unless they're niche products or very premium level models, like the Lexus, Infiniti, or Acura models, or the Land Cruiser.
What? Are you implying that import fans don't turn their own wrenches?
Yeah, and he's also implying that domestics are easier to work on.
Forgetting, of course, the fact that imports don't NEED wrenches turned so often, and are not designed with the expectation that they will need wrenches turned in them every weekend.
Forgetting, of course, the fact that imports don't NEED wrenches turned so often, and are not designed with the expectation that they will need wrenches turned in them every weekend.
BMW and VW would beg to differ... lol! Especially older ones. But they ARE fairly easy to work on when they need it.
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