Good Sense in Jefferson City

Jefferson City officials have, at least in one, minor way, exhibited good economics, good tax policy and good common sense in their recent decision to remove tax credits for one Columbia company.  The tax credits were authorized in 1990 to encourage recycling, but as often happens with good ideas over time, the cost of recycling has gotten comparatively less expensive and the incentive is no longer needed, if indeed it ever really was.  So the legislators have now done that rarest of things – they have killed a silly, wasteful, unnecessary government program.  Sen. Luann Ridgeway gets a very bloggy shout out for summing up good policy theory when she said: "Tax credits should be designed to achieve broad policy goals, not to help one company." She is increasingly convinced that tax credits amount to "boutique legislation that’s written for the few at the expense of the many.’"

Refreshing and encouraging to hear.