|
|
> Affiliates -
E.C.W. is looking for affiliate groups
to join with. Contact us with any
information if you know of any groups
or represent one that is interested.
|
|
|
|
 |
Here
they go again!
From the April
12, 2006, edition of the Orlando Sentinel, we learn
that Orange County, Orlando, and the State of Florida are looking to throw
$340 million in corporate welfare in the direction of Burnham Institute.
Apparently
Burnham is considering an East coast hub in addition to its La Jolla, California
home. Let the bidding wars begin. This project is expected to be smaller
than the Scripps Institute proposal but the incentive package is even bigger.
This
amounts to hundreds of thousands of dollars for every new job supposedly
brought to the Orlando area. UCF, Lake Nona, and the County are trying to
attract this
group as it fits with the new medical school and other efforts to encourage
biomed based business in the area.
A better idea would be to reduce the tax burden in
Orange County by the $90 million local portion and the burden in the State
by its $250 million contribution. Florida
is already know as a relatively low tax state, which should be attractive
to those new high paid employees. Perhaps if the funds were allocated to school
vouchers, our school system would improve and begin to be a positive factor
for
prospective new residents. What we do not need is to further subsidize a
research institute that already derives substantial government support through
the National
Cancer Institute.
It sounds very good to have a non-profit biotech company
supported by the community. However, one has to wonder if the work would
not be better performed
by private
firms motivated by profit to produce cures for cancers and neurological
disorders like Alzheimer's. In order for this type of program to make sense,
one has
to accept the premise that a government program will achieve superior results
to
a profit driven private enterprise. Why is it that we expect competition
and innovation from automobile manufacturers, but not from our healthcare
providers
and researchers?
Sign and distribute the E.C.W.
petition now!
|
