Amazon's search for a second headquarters has almost two dozen cities competing with each other to offer the greatest tax incentive, drawing the ire of conservatives and liberals.
"Amazon is one of the largest, most successful corporations in the world — it doesn't need help from struggling taxpayers to build its second headquarters," Generation Opportunity Policy Director David Barnes said in a statement. "Unfair corporate welfare deals like the ones being lobbed at Amazon fuel cronyism, are conducted in darkness, and force small businesses to subsidize their competition."
Richard Florida, a prominent figure in urban studies, launched a petition along with several dozen urban scholars and economists urging the politicians and officials of the finalist cities to "forge and sign a mutual non-aggression pact that rejects such egregious tax giveaways and direct monetary incentives for the Amazon headquarters."
"I didn't expect to ever write a protest letter," said Florida, a member of the group that backed Toronto's bid, to The Guardian. "But one weekend I was so mad, I started emailing my friends across the ideological spectrum, and every one of them said they'd sign on in a minute."
Florida described the billions in tax incentives proposed by New Jersey, Maryland and other states as "obscene."
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8 comments:
Cant wait to hear from the know it alls who think that the ends justify the means.
Still would've been worth better than nothing coming here! Jobs are jobs, especially when there are none.
But we do have the FOLK FEST COMING!!!!!!!!!
The only winner in this bidding war is Amazon.
I don't have a problem with "corporate welfare" so long as all the employees are paid a living wage and not poverty level like the chicken plants and Walmart for example. So many of the chicken plant and Walmart employees are on at least one form of welfare. Most on several so then tax payers are footing the bill for not only the companies but their employees.
Bwahahaha, if you think snoresbury was anywhere close to landing amazon you are smoking some good stuff
Glad to hear that Amazon is as against cronyism and corporate welfare as I am, or at least that is what I am reading from this article. Every city in the USA is whoring themselves out for this opportunity, and if Amazon is taking the stand that they just want to be an honest tax paying Citizen with a good employee base, well more power to them. That is, after all, what built this country.
Too bad our own state of Maryland whored itself out to entice Amazon when all they wanted was a fair shake on even terms. After all, if you're building a distribution center to serve the next 50 years, 2 or 3 year tax incentives are a joke.
Reality is NOT a joke!
Keep bidding, Hogan!
Western PA is where Amazon will find the workers and they would be glad to have the work no matter what the pay. Work is pride. Pennsylvania has pride just waiting.
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