Letter to the Editor: "Taxpayer subsidies to private business have become a cancer to the business world and a detriment to everyone but those that receive them"

"After speaking with several people associated with the old Quillin's project, it is clear they do not understand the extent to which taxpayer subsidies to private business have become a cancer to the business world and a detriment to everyone but those that receive them.

The idea that local subsidies affect business differently than Federal or State subsidies is absurd. It is like saying being shot by a close friend is healthier than being shot by a stranger.

All subsidies not only create artificial profits for a business, giving it an unearned advantage over its competitors, but also create animosity among those negatively affected, as was the case when the City of Decorah subsidized a multi-billion dollar hotel chain which lowered the occupancy rate of the other hotels in Decorah.

Also, stating that a business will not be able to "cash flow" and thus obtain a reasonable profit without subsidies is not a reason to give them but should be a red flag that either the business should not be opened in the first place or profit expectations are too high.

The truth is that the $23,000 in property taxes has to be paid whether the building is occupied or not. I assume the property owner will be renting the building to the occupant for a price that will cover the taxes plus a profit they deem appropriate and that the subsidies are the avenue by which to achieve their current position of an acceptable profit.

So, do you invest in improvements in the building, increase your assets, have someone pay rent that will cover the property taxes and temporarily accept a smaller profit to get the business up and running (literally subsidizing it yourself) or pay the old taxes yourself at a total loss? The answer should seem logical."