Using tax dollars to help conserve energy in a tax payers home can in no way be even remotely comparable.
Giving millions of tax dollars to a "Private Venture Business" that doesn't serve the community - doesn't pay the equal tax rate as a home owner is forced to - how could anyone possibly use that as a argument - unless thats all one is interested in.
The old argument of, "If we don't get it, someone else will" (tax dollars from the government) is another way of hiding the fact that the "Pot" is full of our tax money - That is what a free spending career politician would say - its not freshly printed cash - its not a gift from Santa - its our taxes being fed back to private business.
I say cut our property taxes and income tax by 10-15% and let me decide who I want to support. If I like a business - I'll shop or eat there. If I want a toy boat or airplane - I'll buy my own. They dance and we pay the band - we don't even get invited to the party - no thanks.