Date: December 20, 2018
Contact: mediacenter@freeandfairmarketsinitiative.org
Amazon Holding Its Hand Out For Billions Of Taxpayer Dollars While Other Companies Expand In New York Without Corporate Handouts
Shot
Amazon Made Tax Incentives Totaling $3 Billion From New York Taxpayers “A Priority” During Its Search For A Second Headquarters…
“New York state will provide Amazon up to $1.7 billion in grants and tax breaks to lure the major online retailer and cloud-computing giant to the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens, making it the largest incentive package ever provided to a private company by the state[…]All told, it took about $3 billion to attract one of the wealthiest companies in the world to Queens: New York City is set to provide $1.3 billion in tax breaks on top of the state’s incentive package.” (The Democrat & Chronicle, “Amazon HQ2: $3 billion in state, city tax breaks draws company to New York,” Jon Campbell, 11.13.18)
“‘Incentives were certainly a part of that process, and they were a priority for us,’” Holly Sullivan, Amazon’s head of worldwide economic development, told council members as they questioned her and Brian Huseman, the company’s vice president of public policy.” (The Wall Street Journal, “Amazon Executives, City Official Defend HQ2 Deal,” Katie Honan, 12.12.18)
Chaser
…Despite Google Able To Bring Thousands Of Jobs To New York City Without Receiving Any Subsidies From The City Or State
“Google’s expansion in Manhattan contrasts with that of Amazon’s in Long Island City, where a plan to enter the formerly industrial Queens neighborhood has been greeted with intense local debate. Amazon executives, who have promised little in the way of neighborhood benefits in exchange for as much as $3 billion in state and city incentives, faced protests and withering questioning at a New York City Council hearing last week.
“Google has expanded quietly and has not asked for public subsidies. ‘We’ve been growing steadily for the past 18 years without heralding trumpets, or asking for support from the government,’ William Floyd, Google’s head of external affairs in New York said this month. “We’ve done it by the dint our own work.’” (The New York Times; “New Google Campus Accelerates Tech’s March Into New York;” Jack Nicas, Winnie Hu and J. David Goodman; 12.17.18)
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The Free & Fair Markets Initiative (FFMI) is a non-profit coalition of businesses, consumer advocacy groups, workers and community activists committed to scrutinizing and highlighting emerging market trends that are stifling competition and innovation, influencing federal and local government spending, putting consumer data in harm’s way and limiting consumer choice. For a list of members, please visit https://freeandfairmarketsinitiative.org/about-us/members/. For more information on the Free & Fair Markets Initiative, please visit https://freeandfairmarketsinitiative.org.
