We’re often critical of politicians who run their campaigns on the “I’ll create jobs” platform.

Our criticism stems from the fact that the only jobs government actually creates are ones that require government funding (read: your tax dollars).

The fact is capitalism, not politics, creates jobs. Capitalism puts the locomotive on the tracks; politics can, however, apply a little grease to the wheels and help things move smoothly.

The Adams County Board of Supervisors got out their fiscal grease gun Monday and gave Rentech’s Natchez site a little shot of lubricant.

The county agreed to a payment in lieu of taxes arrangement. The deal gave the development a tax break for its first 10 years of operations.

While the few old crows that sit on the fence and complain about nearly everything will likely argue with us, we think the plan is a good one.

Deals like the Rentech plant depend on making the deal seem attractive to investors and any small break in property tax that the county can provide as an extra incentive only makes the deal a bit more attractive.

As a reminder, Rentech is a technology company. Their plans for a Natchez plant will cost far more money than the company itself can foot.

Rentech is shopping for investors — people who believe in Rentech’s plan and think there’s money to be made in it.

If the whole deal were a beautiful woman, the tax break doesn’t change the underlying reality, but it adds a bit of hairspray and lipstick to the deal. Let’s hope the deal woos a large investor soon.

The impact of a fully functioning Rentech plant could be a generational type change in our area’s economy and all but a few crows would forget the small tax break.