In an age when governments compete with other to see who can waste the most amount of taxpayer money on private interests, it's encouraging to find some public officials who are willing to say NO.

A story in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel gives some hope that sane fiscal policy can carry the day:

"A slim majority of the Washington County Board today refused to contribute $4 million to Cabela's Inc., rejecting a September 2005 board decision pledging the funds to the company as an incentive to build an outdoor gear store in Richfield.

The 165,000-square-foot showroom opened last September.

Several board members said they opposed giving tax dollars to a corporation."

Cabela's pleading for tax favors is nothing new. After all, they've often been rewarded.

Advocates of so-called progressive thinking decry such efforts for taking money away from tax coffers. But there's also a strong free-market argument to be made as well. I'm not against big box retailers. Join the party, I say. But political manipulation of the economy is bad policy, and bad economics.

If you're in need of gear for hunting, fishing, camping, or other outdoor gear, you might consider giving some of your business to Gander Mountain instead. Last year the company "launched a national lobbying and public relations campaign to deny incentives sought by number 1 competitor Cabela's and number 2 firm Bass Pro Shops." Of course it's in their financial interest to do this. But it's also sound public policy.