BARBIERI: He earns 3 cheers

I would like to thank Vito Barbieri for being one of two voting House members to vote NO on the Idaho Global Entrepreneurial Mission Bill. IGEM is a public/private partnership for colleges and private businesses which a portion (if not all) will be funded at taxpayers’ expense. Paying for technology and grants to commercialize for businesses is not the responsibility of Idaho citizens.

Some big businesses are supporters of the IGEM project. The Idaho Technology Council Board List members are listed on their website. It would be unreasonable to believe that if some great technology was developed at the college level that they would allow a smaller competing start-up business who is not a subsidiary company to get that technology.

Businesses receiving grant funds and Research and Development from IGEM will have a distinct advantage over other new competitors that are businesses starting up. 

What companies would want to pay full market price for research and development when they can get it for much less through the colleges? This should not be funded at the expense of the taxpayers.

This is nothing more than wealth redistribution and technological redistribution some businesses are sure to get wealthy from this one.

As it was so eloquently stated in an email I received, “The state should not be playing the role of venture capitalist with money that is not theirs.”

The legislation is poorly written and possible abuses by this program are endless.

LORNA CASEY-KAISER

Kootenai County