Addiction

Here are the comments made on the "What do you think?" quiz this week:

1 If the government is dumb enough to write the law that way, take the money. If you want them to stop spending elect responsible members of congress to cut spending. Hopefully this is starting to happen.

2 If all our competitors are taking advantage of this credit, and we don't, then they lower their prices in the marketplace below our costs because we do NOT take the credit, we are doing a disservice to not only our shareholders, but the employees of our company. We might be 'dead right', but still 'dead' as a business. I am more ashamed that our INDUSTRY is taking these handouts and running with them. There are highly profitable companies suckling at the government teat that should be ashamed of themselves.

3 The stock price of most paper companies went down by 90% during the first couple of months and many were close to bankruptcy: IP was at $3.5 Domtar got to $0.63 Boise was 0.02 Kapstone was $1.00 If we had not gotten the Black Liquor money, most would have cut back on any expenditure for improvement and would have shut mills down until things got better

4 As European paper producer and mill, we do not know this. But to be honest, in feeling, I would feel ashamed (However, there is in Europe also a tendency to get funds from local, regional, country and even European regulations. Still there is a good link with university's and paper producers. Even there are knowledge centers funded by the industry itself, where development and fundamental knowledge. I hope we will be able to do at least a part of the money, and our own dignity and possibly will stay in our own hands.

5 My company does not make pulp and hence does not accept the credit, but I would be ashamed if I worked yet for my previous employer, IP. I am just glad I got rid of all my IP stock after changing jobs due to mill closure!

6 This IS a hard question to answer and be honest about. I'm ashamed of our government for giving the tax credit for one thing. As you said in your article, my company felt we'd be at a disadvantage if we didn't take the tax credit too. It was another mill in my company that was eligible for the credit, not the mill where I work so I wasn't involved in all the details. But there seemed to be a lot of glee along the lines of "we're screwing the government and they're LETTING us!"

7 Yes. I argued strongly that we should at least use the money to reduce energy consumption, but to no avail.

8 We are just mortgaging our country's future for short term "gains", none of which are really gains to those of us who have made this industry our career.

9 Jim I don't work for a paper company - just have stock in two. I have made a note to write to the CEO's of both to state my opposition. I also wrote to my congressman on this last year. I also grew up on a farm (in NZ), but don't recollect ever getting a government handout, although we did benefit from the government research institute.

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