To: David Jones who wrote (13649 ) 9/14/2003 1:35:21 PM From: Lizzie Tudor Read Replies (1) | Respond to SV businesses are more concerned with the eroding infrastructure than protecting freeloaders, it seems.Reinventing Silicon Valley One controversial topic that Joint Venture members plan to tackle is bolstering public finances for local transportation, education, environmental, health and safety needs. As part of that effort, the group intends to create a statewide coalition to reform the state's tax structure. The idea is to ensure that more of the taxes raised by particular communities are spent in those communities.But their report recommended broadening the state's tax base to make it less dependent on volatile sources of income, and making it easier to pass tax and bond measures. ``Most businesses aren't going to blithely advocate higher taxes, but they understand you have to spend money to make money,'' T. Michael Nevens, a former director based in Silicon Valley for McKinsey, an international management consulting firm, told a group of Mercury News reporters and editors. He helped formulate the report, which was the result of a yearlong study by 60 local corporate executives, educators, political leaders and others. siliconvalley.com
