4 ms·

>benefactors create at least some n number of jobs with a total comp of $x for employees living within the same town, city, county or whatever municipality. Di

>benefactors create at least some n number of jobs with a total comp of $x for employees living within the same town, city, county or whatever municipality. Directives like the ones to create more jobs in order to reach an arbitrary target set by the bureaucrats in the government adds needless pressure and thus might stifle the potential and resources for innovation and experimentation in an organization, especially for a startup.

trophycase 8y ago
something something... when the measure becomes a goal it ceases to be a good measure
- abhiminator 8y ago
  I think you're referring to Goodhard's Law -- "When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodhart%27s_law https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodhart%27s_law
michaelt 8y ago
Isn't the most popular justification for giving bungs to attract/retain employers that it "creates jobs"? If you're going to pay someone to do something, it makes sense to agree the details of what you're paying them to do - that seems like common sense to me. Otherwise you might spend $$$$ thinking you're attracting a software development centre with 200 employees on low-six-figure salaries, but instead get a data centre with 20 employees on mid-five-figure salaries.
- abhiminator 8y ago
  I get the gist of your argument, but my point was when government interferes with the hiring process in the pretext of helping the local population (like setting an arbitrary number of job to create in exchange for tax-breaks, for example), it starts to have a strangulating effect on the performance of the private organization.
  - s73v3r_ 8y ago
    Then that organization doesn't need the tax break. If you're not going to be able to bring something of value to the area, then my tax dollars should not be subsidizing you beyond what anyone else gets.

trophycase 8y ago

something something... when the measure becomes a goal it ceases to be a good measure

abhiminator 8y ago
I think you're referring to Goodhard's Law -- "When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodhart%27s_law https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodhart%27s_law

michaelt 8y ago

Isn't the most popular justification for giving bungs to attract/retain employers that it "creates jobs"? If you're going to pay someone to do something, it makes sense to agree the details of what you're paying them to do - that seems like common sense to me. Otherwise you might spend $$$$ thinking you're attracting a software development centre with 200 employees on low-six-figure salaries, but instead get a data centre with 20 employees on mid-five-figure salaries.

abhiminator 8y ago
I get the gist of your argument, but my point was when government interferes with the hiring process in the pretext of helping the local population (like setting an arbitrary number of job to create in exchange for tax-breaks, for example), it starts to have a strangulating effect on the performance of the private organization.
- s73v3r_ 8y ago
  Then that organization doesn't need the tax break. If you're not going to be able to bring something of value to the area, then my tax dollars should not be subsidizing you beyond what anyone else gets.