Good Jobs First on corporate subsidy pitfalls and data center costs

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America's Work Force Union Podcast AWF Good Jobs First

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Greg LeRoy

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Greg LeRoy, Executive Director of Good Jobs First, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the impact of corporate subsidies, the financial burden of data centers and the role its Violation Tracker can play in holding companies accountable.

LeRoy explained that corporate subsidies often result in taxpayers funding wealthy corporations, with companies like Amazon and Google receiving millions per job created. He emphasized that these subsidies rarely provide a return on investment for taxpayers, as the cost per job can reach astronomical figures, making it impossible for communities to break even. This practice, he noted, is a significant drain on public resources that could be better allocated elsewhere.

Next, LeRoy discussed the financial implications of data centers. He pointed out that data centers, while capital-intensive, employ very few people, leading to a high cost per job. He revealed that states like Texas and Virginia are losing hundreds of millions annually due to tax exemptions for these centers. This trend, he warned, could lead to budget shortfalls, especially as federal funding decreases, putting additional pressure on state and local budgets.

Finally, LeRoy discussed the role of their Violation Tracker, a tool that aggregates data on corporate misconduct. The database is used to identify and penalize companies that engage in illegal activities, such as wage theft and discrimination, he said. LeRoy stressed the importance of transparency and accountability, urging more organizations to adopt similar measures to protect public interests.

Listen to the full episode above to hear more from LeRoy.

America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues.

America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes-IBT, Boyd Watterson, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Melwood, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of North America, The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers.

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