David Cay Johnston, the New York Times’ nonpareil tax policy reporter, was on Fresh Air today touting his new book, “Free Lunch,” which details how the super wealthy enrich themselves at government expense and stick it to the rest of us. Audio won’t be available until 3 p.m.

But a case in point of local interest, a listener reports, is Johnston’s explanation of how Bass Pro Shops proudly and avidly seeks government subsidies to lower its cost of competing against free market competitors who won’t take the handouts — he specifically named Gander Mountain. Sound familiar? That’s exactly what’s playing out in NLR.

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A blog reader helpfully passes along for the edification of NLR Mayor Pat Hays and others the results of Fort Worth’s handout of $42 million in corporate welfare to land a Cabella’s. It’s a Bass Pro clone that uses a similar shakedown plan around the country, getting its freebies in return for promises of supercallifragelistic neighborhood development. Bottom line in Fort Worth: Flopperoo. Remember that as NLR taxpayers plug up NLR wetlands, build new access roads into the middle of the worst freeway jam in the state and damage existing competitors while depriving local governments of property tax revenue.

 

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