Amusement park rides now meet the requirement for a taxpayer funded incentive in Charlotte. Sarah Curry, JLF’s director of fiscal policy studies, writes about this ridiculous use of taxpayer cash in this column.

The city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County have approved a proposal giving Cedar Fair Entertainment, the corporate owner of the Carowinds amusement park, $922,468 in incentives over the next three years to help the park build new rides and attractions. The city council approved its $330,000 share Sept. 16, and county commissioners endorsed their portion of just under $600,000 the following day. The money comes from something called a Business Investment Grant. 

I suppose we should applaud the folks at Carowinds for an ingenious business strategy. Sarah explains:

Carowinds is on the state line, so the park receives incentives from South Carolina, too. One of the economic development workers for York County, S.C., told the Charlotte paper “the amusement park has gotten a property tax reduction of roughly 40 percent for ‘decades.’” So the park is getting almost $1 million from North Carolina along with a property tax deduction from South Carolina. 

This is a bad idea for everyone involved, except Carowinds. Property taxes are Mecklenburg County’s largest revenue source. These taxes pay for fire, police, greenways, parks, local libraries, and schools. Property tax rates have been increased to pay for these government services. It makes no sense for a city to pick winners and losers.