Port Commission Wants to Harm Local Business

Over at Columbia Watch Stilwell notes:

I suppose the local GOP will rise up in outrage at this socialized-business approach. Shouldn’t the free market provide all the port development we need? Oh, right. Republicans only oppose taxes when they can make political hay out of it, not when their buddies are proposing them.

He’s right. It is quite wrong to conflate republicans with free market economics.

With regard to the Port Commission’s desire to raise $60.1 via taxes: well , just say no. The local businesses should be up in arms about this as it is taking money right out of their revenues. Yes, just where do you think that $90/year/$200,000 assessed value was going to be spent?

If this is a viable project then these folks can indeed find private investors willing to put up the money. Until then, it should not happen.

PS: Columbia Watch please open your comments a bit. Restricting them to only folks with a Blogger ID limits your potential participants a bunch.