Isn't it interesting to see Volkswagen choose a state whose taxes are higher than Alabama, Bill? Alabama has the lowest taxes in the nation thanks to Republican efforts to bring them to what they are, and Alabama finds itself at the top of most worst-in-the-nation lists while at the bottom of most best-in-the-nation lists.

Germans are smart, and they know what taxes get you when you resist cutting them to the levels Alabama has. In the end, Volkswagen likes TN despite the higher taxes and cited things that are paid for by higher, reasonable taxes.

There seems to be no accounting for all of the money that they spent in not getting this plant all over the south and the rest of this state. And, there never will be either. Millions in pre-built subsidies, highway, sewer, electrical and communications are now as valuable as losing lottery tickets but the jubilation over this factory will confirm the wisdom of this outrageously expensive and mostly unproductive economic development policy. By my calculations, they either spent or planned to spend more on advertising than they spent on the park.

I am glad that they finally have an interchange to the industrial park that goes somewhere but it could have been built easily within the time constraints of the first car rolling off of the line. Highway infrastructure deteriorates starting on the day you build it and should not be built as a speculative venture with tax money unless and until there is certainty about use and the ability to grow into it.

As long as we allow the governor and Matt Kisber to count the hits and ignore the misses, there will never be anything close to a business-like management of tax money. We still have 98.5 square miles of industrial parks/property in the state of Tennessee waiting for the next factory and we still have local governments ready willing and able to seize private property for the next development project in Nashville, Clarksville and Cookeville.