Eyelash extensions. Botox and dysport injections. Gluten-free pasta and baked goods. A company that sells “Virtual Reality simulations”, including “Implicit Bias Training” via something called HarmonyVR™.
What do they all have in common? Companies selling these diverse services and wares received your tax dollars in 2020 via the Montgomery County “Economic Development Fund Grants” for that fiscal year.
Courtesy of the MoCo “Checkbook” we highlighted earlier (and which often times lacks full transparency), we can see exactly which corporations / businesses got taxpayer dollars through this granting program. Totaling about $1.643 million for that fiscal year (back in 2020), it is unclear why Montgomery County politicians keep throwing taxpayer money at private firms that should be growing their revenues and advertising the old fashioned way: via demand from other (private) people and businesses.
And we don’t want to pick on just these select few enterprises – they are doing what they can to survive in a tough economic climate (thanks to local and state politicians). Dozens of other companies are also grabbing cash at the taxpayer’s expense – many of them in the so-called “life sciences” area or in biotechnology.
But, these definitely stood out as glaring examples of granting (other people’s money) gone awry…
Dollface Beauty Inc was one of the noted grantees and received $4,240.00 in grant money from the MoCo Econ Development Fund that fiscal year. The company offers an extensive academy on eyelash extension and “microblading”. Fascinating topics for sure, and definitely in demand – but why did taxpayers need to subsidize this business with even $4 let alone $4,000?
Something called “Defy Aesthetic LLC” got a taxpayer grant of $9,192. This is a Bethesda-area business pushing Botox and filler injections as well as age serums and anti-wrinkle creams. Again, great, have at it (maybe Councilmember Andrew Friedson is a client?) — but why did it need taxpayer money?
The makers of gluten-free pasta (Impasta LLC) got almost $12,000. That’s a lot of (taxpayer) parmesan cheese! Why did they need this grant? If the product is solid and there is a strong demand in MoCo and beyond for gluten-free pasta and pies, that’s awesome. If you, like me, like your carbs with some gluten… why did we need to fund this?
Finally there is a Rockville firm called Virtual Apprentice LLC, which got $6,800 from us, the taxpayer. Why? Here is one of the products they are highlighting, a kind of escapist virtual therapy for seniors and something called “Implicit Bias Training” in Harmony VR. Seriously? Look, if there is demand for this kind of product, fine — have at it! But stop using the MoCo taxpayer as a piggy bank for this stuff. Frankly, fresh air and some real companionship would be far better for MoCo’s seniors then sitting inside with a VR headset on! Probably costs a lot less, too.
Overall, the next time you hear Marc Elrich or some other politician blather on about needing to hike taxes yet again to fund “Montgomery County’s many priorities” or some such nonsense, remember this article. There is plenty of bloat (especially in the County “grant” space) to cut back on — and we can help all of our small businesses thrive without parceling out grant money to a select few.
More to come.
Related posts:
Montgomery County Paid Something Called “Energy Audits and Green Solutions, LLC” $3.31 Million in 2020: What Exactly Was It For?
MoCo’s SBIR/STTR Matching Grant Program – What Do Taxpayers Really Get for Their “Invested” Dollars?
Economic Storm Clouds Are Gathering, But the Montgomery County Council Seems Pre-Occupied with Other (National) Topics