Then what is this specific meaning that the author fails to understand?

I think it's pretty clear what he means by it.

i understand what he's saying just fine, and i would understand it if he used "taxed" or something similar instead. i'm probably just being too picky about semantics here, but i'm taking issue with the actual redefinition of a specific economic term on a well respected business site.

n) subsidy (a grant paid by a government to an enterprise that benefits the public) http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=subsidy

A subsidy (also known as a subvention) is a form of financial assistance paid to a business or economic sector. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subsidy