Nevada bill would allow tech companies to create governments

[Theodarzna]

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Planned legislation to establish new business areas in Nevada would allow technology companies to effectively form separate local governments.

Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak announced a plan to launch so-called Innovation Zones in Nevada to jumpstart the state’s economy by attracting technology firms, Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Wednesday.

The zones would permit companies with large areas of land to form governments carrying the same authority as counties, including the ability to impose taxes, form school districts and courts and provide government services.

The measure to further economic development with the “alternative form of local government” has not yet been introduced in the Legislature.

Sisolak pitched the concept in his State of the State address delivered Jan. 19. The plan would bring in new businesses at the forefront of “groundbreaking technologies” without the use of tax abatements or other publicly funded incentive packages that previously helped Nevada attract companies like Tesla Inc.

Sisolak named Blockchains, LLC as a company that had committed to developing a “smart city” in an area east of Reno after the legislation has passed.

The draft proposal said the traditional local government model is “inadequate alone” to provide the resources to make Nevada a leader in attracting and retaining businesses and fostering economic development in emerging technologies and industries.

The Governor’s Office of Economic Development would oversee applications for the zones, which would be limited to companies working in specific business areas including blockchain, autonomous technology, the Internet of Things, robotics, artificial intelligence, wireless, biometrics and renewable resource technology.

Zone requirements would include applicants owning at least 78 square miles (202 square kilometers) of undeveloped, uninhabited land within a single county but separate from any city, town or tax increment area. Companies would have at least $250 million and plans to invest an additional $1 billion in their zones over 10 years.

The zones would initially operate with the oversight of their location counties, but would eventually take over county duties and become independent governmental bodies.

The zones would have three-member supervisor boards with the same powers as county commissioners. The businesses would maintain significant control over board membership.

The governor’s economic development office did not respond to questions about the zones Wednesday.

(source)

Welp, it's only the next logical step in the privatization of everything. As I've said elsewhere, in an oligarchy the line between Private company and Public institution is zero; glad they are just formally running with it though. It is always preferable they formally have private entities become states in a formal way rather than informal way.

[Edge-]

Company towns can fuck off, kkthxbai.

[Machismo]

I'm all for this, it's a first step towards voluntary governance.

[Elegiac]

I'm all for this, it's a first step towards voluntary governance.

Because democratically elected governments are apparently less voluntary than a company board appointed by wealthy investors.

Shit take but ok. Company towns can fuck right off, part deux.

[jonnysensible]

You load 16 tons, what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
St. Peter don't you call me, 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store

[Machismo]

Because democratically elected governments are apparently less voluntary than a company board appointed by wealthy investors.

Shit take but ok.

This land is entirely uninhabited, which means people would be free to move there, or not, in order to participate. It's not removing anyone from their current jurisdiction.

[GreenJesus]

I'm all for this, it's a first step towards voluntary governance.

At least we have a constitution to protect ourselves from the government. We have no such protections against companies as we've learned from social media companies.

[Elegiac]

This land is entirely uninhabited, which means people would be free to move there, or not, in order to participate. It's not removing anyone from their current jurisdiction.

That's nice, but a non sequitur.

It's cute that you think corporations make for freer governments than democracies, though.

[Edge-]

You load 16 tons, what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
St. Peter don't you call me, 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store

I quite enjoy that diddy. FO76 has a great soundtrack of old tunes, even if it's limited.

[Machismo]

At least we have a constitution to protect ourselves from the government. We have no such protections against companies as we've learned from social media companies.

This would still fall under the Constitution.

I get that you Trumpsters are terrified of the First Amendment... but things will be Ok.

[cubby]

This land is entirely uninhabited, which means people would be free to move there, or not, in order to participate. It's not removing anyone from their current jurisdiction.

While @jonnysensible nailed the sentiment (and still has my cracking up), I have to agree with the above. If a company can move into an uninhabited area and start up industry, why not allow them the rest of local governance. It would only help large companies trying to build giant factories do it faster, and the more industry we can create within the United States, the better off we all are.

Nevada gets the revenue of a boosted economy, the company gets a major say in local governance, and because of the voluntary nature of working at the new [whatever], there is no forced governance by people living/working in the area.

[Felya]

At least we have a constitution to protect ourselves from the government. We have no such protections against companies as we've learned from social media companies.

Labor laws... this has nothing to do with Twitter banning people... regardless, still a shit take from macho...

[Edge-]

That's nice, but a non sequitur.

It's cute that you think corporations make for freer governments than democracies, though.

Corporations make people so free that they're free to wear diapers in their warehouse jobs out of fear that taking a break to use the bathroom will cause them to fall behind in their quotas.

That's the kind of freedom we need, the freedom to just piss and shit yourself at work.

[Felya]

This would still fall under the Constitution.

I get that you Trumpsters are terrified of the First Amendment... but things will be Ok.

Do you have freedom of speech at work?

[Machismo]

That's nice, but a non sequitur.

It's cute that you think corporations make for freer governments than democracies, though.

Where did I say that?

This is about a first attempt at voluntary governance. They could form a socialist utopia in one of them, for all I care.

[Edge-]

I get that you Trumpsters are terrified of the First Amendment... but things will be Ok.

It's not Trumpsters, it's anyone with a functioning understanding of US history in the past few centuries.

- - - Updated - - -

This is about a first attempt at voluntary governance.

Company towns are not new, and while historically some were surprisingly progressive, the system was killed off for a reason. And it wasn't because it just made people too free.

[cubby]

At least we have a constitution to protect ourselves from the government. We have no such protections against companies as we've learned from social media companies.

But the company formed government would have to follow the Constitutional laws/requirements of local governments (I'm not saying those rules/laws are laid out directly in the Constitution, but codified in other laws passed and court cases - just to be clear).

[Machismo]

Do you have freedom of speech at work?

Yes.

/10char

[jonnysensible]

Where did I say that?

This is about a first attempt at voluntary governance. They could form a socialist utopia in one of them, for all I care.

could be a Branch Davidian compound

[Felya]

This is about a first attempt at voluntary governance. They could form a socialist utopia in one of them, for all I care.

Human Resources governance...