Opinion The Final Tally Of Lee Tax Credits The fact that so many Lee Act credits went to large firms in major metros is not evidence of bad faith or even of poor program design by lawmakers in Raleigh. John Hood
News Businesses: Credits Not Decisive RALEIGH — A second Commerce Department report on the William S. Lee Act released in as many weeks indicates that 95 percent of the time targeted tax credits are not a “deciding factor” for companies when they make investments or hire workers. The department’s newest report was based on a survey of North Carolina manufacturers. “This report indicates for the majority of firms the Lee Act is not effective. We are simply wasting taxpayer dollars. This points to the necessity of major reform sooner rather than later,” said Rep. Paul Luebke, D-Durham, a frequent critic of the Lee Act. Don Carrington