Wheres the incentive for private-sector investment?
The Dec. 3 editorial “Inner city job growth is critical to regional economic health” was correct in stating that efforts to improve our central city economy must be an ongoing priority. Unfortunately, the suggested means to this admirable objective reflect either a complete lack of understanding of how fiscal and trade policies affect local economies or an exercise in lip service to those in our central city who can least afford the perennial parade of “new programs that have yet had time to bear fruit.” Until the economic incentives are in place that will direct private-sector investment into our low-income census tracts, true progress will remain elusive. At a time when the working age male African-American unemployment rate in many of these areas hovers around 60%, the assumption that historical private-sector investment patterns will change without the economic incentive to do so is at best well-meaning hyperbole. If we can grant out-of-state filmmakers tax credit for wages paid in
