Microsoft will become the latest Washington-based enterprise to take its business elsewhere. The software giant announced it will develop a $1.1 billion data center in West Des Moines, Iowa. The announcement comes after the state Legislature “adjourned without extending a couple of high-tech tax breaks that are set to expire.”
Iowa offered Microsoft a $20 million sales tax break, Washington State would not match the offer. State Senate Republicans pushed for a renewal of two tax breaks “of importance to the high-tech industry” set to expire at the end of 2014. Unfortunately, Democrats in the Legislature—spurred on by calls to end tax “loopholes”—refused to “consider anything new.”
Once again, as a result of Democrats’ incompetence, Washington State faces an unnecessary financial loss that will negatively impact future economic prospects for years to come.
The Seattle Times,
“Of course there are many factors that go into that sort of decision – availability of a skilled workforce, the local business climate, proximity to markets. But the key thing is that Iowa economic development officials went after the business, says DeLee Shoemaker, Microsoft’s senior director for state government affairs. “Our concern is that a failure to offer tax incentives to encourage technology investments in this state is making Washington uncompetitive for future siting decisions by Microsoft and other technology-based employers.’”
If only Democrats were as serious of protecting vital state industries and creating jobs as they were of protecting special interests and destroying the coal industry maybe—just maybe—key economic prospects would not all be moving out of state. So much for Gov. Inslee’s “secret sauce.”
The latest in Democrats incompetence got us thinking…
Will Democrat candidates like Matt Isenhower—who is challenging Sen. Andy Hill in the 45th legislative district—stop spewing out the party talking points on tax “loopholes” (the correct term is tax incentives) before or after all of Washington State’s most vital industries move operations out-of-state?
