Texas Spends $1.4 Million to Friend Facebook

[sonias]

Texas Tribune 2/25/10
TribBlog: Texas Spends $1.4 Million to Friend Facebook (Updated)
The news release that came over a few minutes ago reads: "Governor Perry Makes Economic Development Announcement on Facebook."

He meant it literally, apparently. Perry’s Texas Enterprise Fund — which he calls a vital investment tool, and his critics call wasteful corporate welfare — will dole out $1.4 million to Facebook, the company. (Perry did in fact make the announcement on his office’s Facebook page, as well.) Facebook, in turn, promises jobs for Austin.

Great 200 more jobs for Austin - the bluest city in Texas!

Related article about jobs in Austin.

AAS Business blog 2/25/10
Chinese solar company, Facebook adding jobs in Austin

Austin is in line to gain more than 500 new jobs with a proposal by a Chinese solar energy company plans a $20.7 million manufacturing plant here and by Facebook to open an Austin office.

Gov. Rick Perry announced Facebook plans this morning, and said the state would provide $1.4 million in incentives, conditioned on the approval of a local incentives package.

A short time later, the city posted details on proposed incentives for Yingli Green Energy Associates, which would build a solar-panel manufacturing plant in Austin and create more than 300 jobs, tied to incentives.

Yingli, the U.S. subsidiary of a large Chinese solar-energy company, would propose to start building the plant in June and finish it by the end of the year, conditioned on an incentives agreement.

Austin won big today!

:kick:

[sonias]

1. Council to consider proposal to bring Facebook offices to Austin

Mayor Lee Leffingwell's blog 2/25/10
Council to consider proposal to bring Facebook offices to Austin...
By Mark

The City of Austin today announced an economic development incentive proposal to establish an Austin-based sales and operations facility for Facebook, a social networking service used by over 400 million people around the world. The company is committed to creating nearly 200 jobs with average salary wages of $54,000 a year. Austin is in competition with other undisclosed U.S. locations.

The City’s proposal includes a performance-based grant over a 10-year period, for a total incentive estimated at $200,000.

"We've been exploring various options around the U.S. to establish an additional online sales and operations office and we're grateful to the assistance we've received from the Governor's office and the state's leadership in discussing the possibilities in Austin," said Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer at Facebook. "Facebook continues to grow and Austin, with its deep talent pool, would allow us to hire the high-caliber employees we need to properly serve the people, advertisers and developers that rely on our service."

:toast:

[onestepforward]

2. Good news for Austin!

I'd love to snag one of those green jobs :)

[SteveM]

3. Rick Perry is one of the shrewdest politicians in America...

and may be the GOP pick against Obama in 2012. He knows how to deal with "Moscow on the Colorado:" Facebook one day, a vast toll-road complex encircling the city the next (you can't get in or leave without paying, was the plan). Kay Bailey used The term in her election ads which signals her defeat-in-advance: "Bully." She used the term to criticize Perry, just as Democrats in these forums use the term to describe the GOP. Boy, Republicans and the far right just LOVE to hear that term squeal forth -- and the rest of America gets to hear it.

[sonias]

4. I hope he's the "shrewdest" loser in November

There is no doubt Goodhair knows how to market himself, but you can only pull the wool over the eyes of voters for so long. He's got an long list of performance problems.

The Rs would be crazy to put him on the ticket in 2012, but if they do - I say "bring it".

Most other states in the union can recognize a con man when they see one.

[SteveM]

5. Still, he's tough, smart, tough, has good timing, is tough and knows how to fight...

If he is the nominee, and things in the U.S. are bad economically, the Democrats will have to do something foreign to the DLC controllers: fight, hit-hard, fight some more, get tough. And they need to get tough. Did I mention get tough?

By the time 2012 comes around, the Democratic Party better look as "left" as MSM claims it is and at least as half as what the GOP claims it is, or Rick Perry could win by default.

[sonias]

6. Not going to happen

No way Perry could win nationally. He has so many negatives it's not even possible. Even the Texas tea party nuts are supporting Medina first, and Perry only by default. When Perry is forced to go into a runoff, I'm not sure the teabaggers even come out to help him. Oh he will win the R primary, but it would have cost him. He's damanaged goods.

The independents and moderates in the national R party would laugh him off the stage. It might be Paul Burka's wet dream for Perry to be the 2012 Presidential nominee, but it's not going to happen.

I agree our Dems need to grow a spine, nationally.