Tax Cut Spin is ‘Pure Bull’

To the Editor: 

Our Congressman Jason Smith is at it once again trying to spin the President’s Tax Cut and Jobs Act (otherwise known as the Corporate Giveaway Tax Cut) as good for working class Missourians and implicitly taking some credit for himself. In his most recent weekly e-mail newsletter Congressman Smith touts his visit to the Kerry facility in Greenville, Missouri. The facility produces liquid smoke flavoring for the food industry and has apparently added new capacity and expanded its workforce slightly. 

Kerry is a food ingredients company in the global food industry and is based in Ireland. Mr. Smith credits Trump’s Corporate Giveaway Tax Cut for spurring “new training and plant improvements and increasing production.”  An easy search on the internet reveals that Kerry announced the plant expansion in 2016 (well before Mr. Trump even took office) and at that time expected to add four new jobs to its workforce of 25.  We all know that corporate decisions are made long before they are announced and furthermore it’s high unlikely the Corporate Giveaway Tax Cut would have much impact on a company based in Ireland.  Of course, it’s good when any new jobs are added to the local economy and I’m pleased to see that the construction company that led the expansion project is based in Missouri.  However, to say it was the result of Trump’s Corporate Giveaway Tax Cut is just pure bull. 

Tim Scrivner

Ava, Missouri