“People at the top of corporations go where they want to live”

by David Safier

AZ Blue Meanie mentioned this Star article already, but I think it deserves spotlighting.

A Harvard economist who is also a Tucson native said tax incentives and clever framing won't attract businesses if the city or the state isn't attractive as a place to live.

[Joseph] Kalt said studies of state and municipal initiatives to direct the kind of business growth they will have show the initiatives don't work. Studies also show that the people at the top of corporations go where they want to live. And that, he said, depends foremost on quality of life, especially quality of education, both K-12 and at universities.

In other words, in his view, the Republicans have it ass backwards. They want turn Arizona into a cheap place for businesses to operate by cutting services, especially education, to the bone.

Kalt says, make Arizona a better place to live, and people will choose it over undesirable locations that offer tax incentives and clever catch phrases.