Arrogance is Never Wise

Following is a response to an op-ed piece by Thomas Friedman in the March 3, 2010 New York Times in which Intel CEO Paul Otellini defends building a $4.5 billion plant in China because America is not generous enough with lower corporate taxes and other incentives.

“A Word from the Wise” should have been titled “A Word from the Wiseguy.” There’s nothing ‘wise’ about corporate narcissists like Intel’s Ottellini bemoaning corporate taxes and the’ lack of incentives’ as an excuse for moving their operations overseas. Everything about his comments speaks of arrogance, greed and deception. Here in New Mexico, Intel Rio Rancho has received every incentive and tax break imaginable from state and local government since it landed here in the late 80s. In 2004, Intel was granted an additional $16 billion Industrial Revenue Bond, the largest ever in US history from Sandoval County, one of the poorest counties in the nation. Intel promised to invest those funds in New Mexico. They have not in any significant way, and I suspect the new plant in China was built using those funds. Here in New Mexico, Intel moved into a residential neighborhood, tapped into infrastructure paid for by local taxpayers and proceeded to poison our air and suck down 3 billion gallons of water every year from a declining aquifer.

I’m sure if you checked into it, you would discover the same story in Arizona and Oregon where Intel is paying little or no corporate taxes and has received every incentive those states could possibly offer. Ottellini’s comments are disingenuous and an insult to every American community that has given all but their first-born to attract these vampires to set up shop in their community