With the Solyandra controversy in the news, one would hope that North Carolinians would recognize the dubious value of government intervention into free markets. With an eye on the then-developing “Project Soccer” deal to provide massive financial incentives to lure a new manufacturing plant to Brunswick County, Civitas’ September polling asked whether governments which provide government cash and tax breaks to lure specific companies to locate within the state. Despite evidence that these programs don’t meet the hype that often surrounds these often shady deals, North Carolinians are still slightly in favor of these programs, according to Civitas’ September poll results:
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These poll results reflect conflicting priorities on the part of North Carolina residents. While 39% of residents oppose or strongly oppose this particularly large economic incentive program, 46% are in favor of the idea, despite the tinge of “crony capitalism”. It is likely that in a time of double-digit unemployment, residents are likely to welcome heavily promoted opening of a major new factory with nice, round numbers of new jobs that will supposedly materialize.
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