Gov. Roy Cooper has promised $445 million in state tax dollars to corporations, as a large number of North Carolina’s small businesses remain closed under COVID-19 orders, reported The Carolina Journal.
Director of regulatory studies at the John Locke Foundation, Jon Sanders, called it an intolerable misuse of taxpayer money and another example of the governor’s double standards, the publican reported on Sept. 29, which the foundation publishes.
“I’m sorry. I can’t let that go,” Sanders said. “That’s half a billion dollars of tax money pledged away in a year when Cooper has deliberately kept whole categories of businesses closed for over half a year, with no end in sight.”
So far this year, Cooper has taken 22 deals, including giving $18 million to the U.S. Golf Association, nearly $8.7 million to pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Co., $3.3 million to financial services company Retirement Clearinghouse, and $2.4 million to bottling manufacturer Prime Beverage Group, the Carolina Journal reported.
Small businesses such as bars, private clubs, movie theaters and entertainment venues have been closed since March when the governor first signed the first executive orders related to COVID-19 public health and safety. Some businesses, including gyms, bowling alleys, and other recreational companies, were recently allowed to reopen after enduring months of closure and financial hardship. Restaurants, breweries, wineries, salons, and barbershops are currently allowed to operate at approximately 75% capacity.
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