Supporters of tax breaks that local governments award to businesses each year to prevent them from moving consider them vital economic development tools
while critics denounce the tax breaks as corporate welfare that helps some localities but weakens the national economy.

(a) Supporters of tax breaks that local governments award to businesses each year to prevent them from moving consider them vital economic development tools
(b) Supporters consider tax breaks that local governments award businesses each year to prevent them from moving to be vital economic development tools
(c) Supporters of tax breaks that local governments award businesses each year to prevent them from moving consider them vital economic development tools
(d) Supporters consider tax breaks that local governments award businesses each year to prevent them from moving vital economic development tools
(e) Supporters of tax breaks that local governments award businesses each year to prevent them from moving consider the tax breaks to be vital economic development tools

I chose E because i thought in option (d) Support consider tax breaks is not clear in stating supporters of "what", but option E is clear in supporters of what and says that supporters consider X,

one more clarification, is it undiomatic to use consider X to be Y, can we trade-off this idiom for clarity?[/u]

OG says that whenever Consider is used in the context of "think as", it takes a direct object. There shouldn't be any preposition linking the object to consider. This is an OG rule not subject to any debate. Just remember it. For example -

Correct: John considers Michael intelligent.

Incorrect: John considers Michael as intelligent.
Incorrect: John considers Michael to be intelligent.

I hope this helps.

Pooja is right about the idiom.

Arun, note that the correct idiom trumps your concern about clarity. "Supporters consider tax breaks vital economic development tools" is clear enough, especially when paralleled with "while critics denounce the tax breaks." Both have an opinion of the tax breaks, so what else would "supporters" reference?

_________________
Emily Sledge
Instructor
ManhattanGMAT