We want healthy economic development
in Pima County. But if we are to entice companies here with tax or other
benefits we want business and industry that will operate in an
above-board manner and will not contaminate our soil, water or air.
Monsanto
has a decades-long litany of producing, promoting and distributing some
of the deadliest toxins ever created – and shirking responsibility for
the tragic consequences of their use. It has been fined for
environmental violations and accounting irregularities. The European
Union and other countries have banned Monsanto products that are legal
in Pima County.
The Pima County
administration has been negotiating an agreement with Monsanto in which
the county would create a state-authorized “free-trade zone” for
Monsanto operations here that would employ only 40 to 60 people.
Monsanto would avoid paying full Pima County property taxes.
Less
generous county incentives for Caterpillar, Accelerate Diagnostics and
World View Enterprises, each of which will have many more local
employees than Monsanto, are worthy of support. Other legitimate
economic development projects could earn incentives. We should not
support a tax break for Monsanto.
This
company and its predecessors have had a hand in, and often been a
creator of, many of the world’s worst toxic nightmares: PCBs
(polychlorinated biphenyls), early nuclear weaponry, DDT, dioxin, Agent
Orange, RoundUp (glyphosate), Lasso (alachlor), and Bovine Growth
Hormone. It pioneered and is the world’s leading producer of GMOs,
genetically modified organisms.
Richard Elias is a Pima County Supervisor. He represents District Five.
Richard Elias is a Pima County Supervisor. He represents District Five.
No comments:
Post a Comment