PHOENIX — New tax incentives to lure firms that specialize in "renewable" energy may be blossoming, though they haven't taken effect yet.
1. Comment by CHRIS J. (HORQUILLA)— November 10,2009 @ 12:36AM
Ratings:-8+4
The new environmentally friendly, clean energy technologies of the future like hybrid cars use twice as much copper as the conventional automobile. A single wind powered turbine contains more than one ton of copper. New low cost photovoltaic cells rely on copper. Copper is necessary for distributing solar heated water and copper pipes remain the most energy efficient option. New transmission lines for renewable energy will require millions of pounds of copper. The new green technologies of the future and their copper wiring will play an important role in Arizona’s future economy. An average person already uses more than 1,500 pounds of copper in their lifetime. Where are we going to get this copper if it is not mined here?
Development of the new copper projects, like Rosemont and Resolution will assure that domestic supplies of copper are available for our nation to lead the world in the development of the clean energy technologies of the future.
2. Comment by NightHawk P. (NightHawk)— November 10,2009 @ 1:18AM
Ratings:-5+9
They won't get it from Rosemont. This Company from Canada if going to take their profits back to Canada, and the ore will be sold to China. To be sold back to us in cheap goods. While they leave a large hole and over 4,000 acres of public Forest land covered in muck. Not counting water polluted for generations.
3. Comment by CHRIS J. (HORQUILLA)— November 10,2009 @ 2:25AM
Ratings:-7+5
The profits generated by our domestic mining operations are distributed to the stockholders of the mining companies in the form of dividends, irregardless of where the company's headquarters is located. And many of these investors, include Americans.
Furthermore, profits generated by these mining operations are only a small fraction of the total cash flow generated by these facilities. Most of this cash flow is spent here in America to operate our domestic mines, where it benefits local communities and our nation.
4. Comment by CHRIS J. (HORQUILLA)— November 10,2009 @ 2:31AM
Ratings:-6+3
One must consider the fact, whether copper concentrates are smelted and refined at domestic facilities or shipped abroad to foreign facilities, some of it will always find its way into the international marketplace. That is how the free market system works and we certainly can’t change that just because a few individuals want America to make an exception in this case. However, if you examine export/import data, you will find that the United States imports considerably more unmanufactured copper from foreign countries like Chile, Canada, Peru and Mexico than it exports to foreign markets. In 2008, 760,000 short tons of unmanufactured copper consumed in this country was derived from foreign sources, including 251,000 short tons of unmanufactured copper from Canada. As for exporting domestic copper production to China or other foreign countries, these exports will offset copper imports, reducing America's overall net import reliance on foreign sources of copper. This results in a lower national trade deficit, which benefits all Americans.
Like many other commodities, such as oil, the United States does not produce enough copper to meet its domestic needs, which adds to our ever expanding trade deficits that have accelerated to unsustainable levels since 1997. How does forcing domestic industries to relocate overseas reduce our dependence on foreign goods or benefit America? The cumulative impact of these trade deficits over the last decade has transferred and continues to transfer much our nation’s wealth overseas. Just think of the positive economic impact this money would have had on our economy had it not been sent overseas to pay for goods that American workers could have produced here. The prospects of a bright economic future for our nation are bleak, unless we are able to reverse this trend and produce more of the raw materials and manufactured goods we require to maintain our comfortable lifestyle.
7. Comment by Eric A. (EckJerome)— November 10,2009 @ 9:47AM
Ratings:-0+5
Why is it so hard for people to realize that lowering taxes will encourage new business in Arizona, create jobs and, as it usually does, have the net effect of increasing tax revenues?
8. Comment by Thomas C. (Copperhead)— November 10,2009 @ 12:44PM
Ratings:-2+2
On the contrary #6, it is the lack available tax breaks in the Greater Tucson area that is causing businesses to decide to go elsewhere. Without larger businesses to provide solid tax bases from which to build off of, the overall tax burden is shifted to smaller businesses and the general population leaving no extra room for tax breaks to new businesses. This is exactly what has happend in the Tucson area today.
Lack of understanding surrounding the need for solid tax bases along with a general dereliction of fudiciary duty by our local, state and federal representation over that last 15 or so years has caused this to happen. Name the last large scale business enterprise that decided to locate in this area in the last 10 years. Call centers don't count......also business that have since closed their doors dont count either. Now look at what our economy has lost in just the last 2 years alone. Spring ball -- $30 million/year gone; tourism lost from bad economy -- $30-$50 million/year. Already we are in deficit nearly $100 million in just 2 years and in the next 2 years we face the possibility of losing the Gem show (another $40 million/year).
Our "representation" has fixated on a transient economy that tourism breeds along with partial year economic drivers like spring ball and gem show among a few. This double whammy of a relatively non existant tax support structure not to mention low wage employment magnet is about to force a major tax increase to small business and the general population in the next 1 or 2 years in this area.
Transient business is NOT the answer in this area. History has taught us that light and heavy industry along with the military are some of the best tax support structures around. Yet when was the last time you saw a local or state representative trying to attract an industry such as this to the area?? In fact, they are all currently working hard to eliminate one of those industries from the area without even so much as a consideration for how it will affect the economy now and in the future nor what affect in will have on taxation in the area.
The Rosemont project will pump in around $750 million/year in to the economy.....remember above when we were looking at +$100 million deficits in the coming years?? This is one of those businesses that could have a dramatically positive effect on the economy, tax base, and small business stimulation in this area. Yet our elected "leaders" think they speak for all of us when they let their enviro-elitest ideals (or lobbiests) make important business decisions for our future.
In a way #5 above you is correct, however it starts with our elected officials putting the feelings of a vocal minority of the local population (along with a bunch of out of state NGO groups) aside for the greater good of the population. In other words.....doing their jobs!
The needs of the many should outweigh the desires of the few, yet currently they do not in this area.
10. Comment by Skip S. (SkooterMan)— November 10,2009 @ 2:03PM
Ratings:-0+0
This is a complicated law that will benefit only a handful of companies who will be permanently subject to all kinds of government audits and oversights to keep them eligible for the freebies.
HUGE WASTE OF TIME, IMO... Unlikely to create any meaningful economic activity.
11. Comment by Thomas C. (Copperhead)— November 10,2009 @ 2:33PM
Ratings:-1+2
Agreed #10, reference back to my post above:
"......our elected "leaders" think they speak for all of us when they let their enviro-elitest ideals (or lobbiests) make important business decisions for our future."
Tax breaks for "preferred" businesses is not the way to economic prosperity for this state, but is the way to an increase in taxes for people like you and me.
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Clean-energy incentives draw 3 dozen inquiries
PHOENIX — New tax incentives to lure firms that specialize in "renewable" energy may be blossoming, though they haven't taken effect yet.The new environmentally friendly, clean energy technologies of the future like hybrid cars use twice as much copper as the conventional automobile. A single wind powered turbine contains more than one ton of copper. New low cost photovoltaic cells rely on copper. Copper is necessary for distributing solar heated water and copper pipes remain the most energy efficient option. New transmission lines for renewable energy will require millions of pounds of copper. The new green technologies of the future and their copper wiring will play an important role in Arizona’s future economy. An average person already uses more than 1,500 pounds of copper in their lifetime. Where are we going to get this copper if it is not mined here?
Development of the new copper projects, like Rosemont and Resolution will assure that domestic supplies of copper are available for our nation to lead the world in the development of the clean energy technologies of the future.
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They won't get it from Rosemont. This Company from Canada if going to take their profits back to Canada, and the ore will be sold to China. To be sold back to us in cheap goods. While they leave a large hole and over 4,000 acres of public Forest land covered in muck. Not counting water polluted for generations.
Report this comment
The profits generated by our domestic mining operations are distributed to the stockholders of the mining companies in the form of dividends, irregardless of where the company's headquarters is located. And many of these investors, include Americans.
Furthermore, profits generated by these mining operations are only a small fraction of the total cash flow generated by these facilities. Most of this cash flow is spent here in America to operate our domestic mines, where it benefits local communities and our nation.
Report this comment
One must consider the fact, whether copper concentrates are smelted and refined at domestic facilities or shipped abroad to foreign facilities, some of it will always find its way into the international marketplace. That is how the free market system works and we certainly can’t change that just because a few individuals want America to make an exception in this case. However, if you examine export/import data, you will find that the United States imports considerably more unmanufactured copper from foreign countries like Chile, Canada, Peru and Mexico than it exports to foreign markets. In 2008, 760,000 short tons of unmanufactured copper consumed in this country was derived from foreign sources, including 251,000 short tons of unmanufactured copper from Canada. As for exporting domestic copper production to China or other foreign countries, these exports will offset copper imports, reducing America's overall net import reliance on foreign sources of copper. This results in a lower national trade deficit, which benefits all Americans.
Like many other commodities, such as oil, the United States does not produce enough copper to meet its domestic needs, which adds to our ever expanding trade deficits that have accelerated to unsustainable levels since 1997. How does forcing domestic industries to relocate overseas reduce our dependence on foreign goods or benefit America? The cumulative impact of these trade deficits over the last decade has transferred and continues to transfer much our nation’s wealth overseas. Just think of the positive economic impact this money would have had on our economy had it not been sent overseas to pay for goods that American workers could have produced here. The prospects of a bright economic future for our nation are bleak, unless we are able to reverse this trend and produce more of the raw materials and manufactured goods we require to maintain our comfortable lifestyle.
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There's an old saying about catching more flies with honey.
In Arizona where a lot of things are working against us, a business friendly tax code is one the best weapons we can use in trying to lure jobs here.
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More tax breaks for the wealthy corporations.
Why is it so hard for people to realize that this is one of the reasons Arizona has less and less tax money to work with.
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Why is it so hard for people to realize that lowering taxes will encourage new business in Arizona, create jobs and, as it usually does, have the net effect of increasing tax revenues?
Just ask John F. Kennedy.
Report this comment
On the contrary #6, it is the lack available tax breaks in the Greater Tucson area that is causing businesses to decide to go elsewhere. Without larger businesses to provide solid tax bases from which to build off of, the overall tax burden is shifted to smaller businesses and the general population leaving no extra room for tax breaks to new businesses. This is exactly what has happend in the Tucson area today.
Lack of understanding surrounding the need for solid tax bases along with a general dereliction of fudiciary duty by our local, state and federal representation over that last 15 or so years has caused this to happen. Name the last large scale business enterprise that decided to locate in this area in the last 10 years. Call centers don't count......also business that have since closed their doors dont count either. Now look at what our economy has lost in just the last 2 years alone. Spring ball -- $30 million/year gone; tourism lost from bad economy -- $30-$50 million/year. Already we are in deficit nearly $100 million in just 2 years and in the next 2 years we face the possibility of losing the Gem show (another $40 million/year).
Our "representation" has fixated on a transient economy that tourism breeds along with partial year economic drivers like spring ball and gem show among a few. This double whammy of a relatively non existant tax support structure not to mention low wage employment magnet is about to force a major tax increase to small business and the general population in the next 1 or 2 years in this area.
Transient business is NOT the answer in this area. History has taught us that light and heavy industry along with the military are some of the best tax support structures around. Yet when was the last time you saw a local or state representative trying to attract an industry such as this to the area?? In fact, they are all currently working hard to eliminate one of those industries from the area without even so much as a consideration for how it will affect the economy now and in the future nor what affect in will have on taxation in the area.
The Rosemont project will pump in around $750 million/year in to the economy.....remember above when we were looking at +$100 million deficits in the coming years?? This is one of those businesses that could have a dramatically positive effect on the economy, tax base, and small business stimulation in this area. Yet our elected "leaders" think they speak for all of us when they let their enviro-elitest ideals (or lobbiests) make important business decisions for our future.
In a way #5 above you is correct, however it starts with our elected officials putting the feelings of a vocal minority of the local population (along with a bunch of out of state NGO groups) aside for the greater good of the population. In other words.....doing their jobs!
The needs of the many should outweigh the desires of the few, yet currently they do not in this area.
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To Thomas C (8)
I could not agree with you more. And if they prevail in this public debate, they will destory our community, the state of Arizona and this nation.
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This is a complicated law that will benefit only a handful of companies who will be permanently subject to all kinds of government audits and oversights to keep them eligible for the freebies.
HUGE WASTE OF TIME, IMO... Unlikely to create any meaningful economic activity.
Report this comment
Agreed #10, reference back to my post above:
"......our elected "leaders" think they speak for all of us when they let their enviro-elitest ideals (or lobbiests) make important business decisions for our future."
Tax breaks for "preferred" businesses is not the way to economic prosperity for this state, but is the way to an increase in taxes for people like you and me.
Report this comment