State officials defend business tax breaks despite some failures

Michael Widmer, president of the business-backed Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, believes broad-based tax incentives are crucial to the state's economy. He is dubious, however, of grants and tax breaks that are awarded to individual companies. "I think it's highly risky to pick selected companies, like an Evergreen Solar, and bet on them," said Widmer. "In the case of Evergreen, they had never even earned a profit, and the state committed $58 million to them. That's a huge risk."