Let’s hope this isn’t an indication of where things are headed in the next legislative session, or even moderately reflects Gov. Brewer’s position.
As reported in the Arizona Capitol Times:
Arizona Commerce Authority CEO Don Cardon (no relation to Wil) offered freshman Congressman Ben Quayle some gems of advice this week. As reported by my colleague, Caitlin Coakley, Quayle held a roundtable with business owners who expressed deep dissatisfaction with partisan rancor.
Cardon advised that politicians need to drop some of their hard line approaches against all things government. One example offered by Cardon, who is Gov. Jan Brewer’s go-to man when it comes to job creation, would be the objection by many to having the government “picking winners and losers” when it comes to determining which businesses and industries should or shouldn’t get tax breaks or other nifty incentives.
That said, it’s hard to believe that Cardon, who is leading the state agency that was given a $25 million “deal-closing” fund, wishes the ACA could buy a reprieve from the state Constitution’s gift clause — or at least get the Goldwater Institute to look the other way. Cardon also encouraged Quayle to double-down and adopt sure-fire stances certain to make a fiscal-conservative voter base cringe.
“The market already picks winners and losers,” Cardon told the congressman, adding that government is well suited to decide which industries could use government investment to help spring back to life. “That’s where you say, maybe I cast a vote that will end my political career in two to three years,” he said.
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