Richmond and the resident political class are beside themselves with glee after sealing a deal that will bring Stone Brewing Co.’s eastern operations to town.
The competition was fierce, with 20 states in the running for the site, the jobs and the capital investment. But what ultimately made RVA a winner? Terry McAuliffe’s kegerator. The Richmond vibe. The local brewing scene. The James River. And a whole lot of taxpayer money:
McAuliffe also served up a $5 million grant from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund and a $250,000 grant from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund, contingent on Stone’s procurement and use of Virginia-grown products.
The corporate welfare bus just keeps on chugging…but there is at least some push back elsewhere. The question that ought to be asked about every deal using public funds for private purposes? Kerry Dougherty has it right:
Would these big spenders invest their personal retirement funds in the project? If not, they shouldn’t risk the public’s loot.
