Date: November 15, 2018
Contact: mediacenter@freeandfairmarketsinitaitive.org
🚨#TBT 🚨
When New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio Was Against Giving Amazon Billions in Corporate Handouts for Amazon’s HQ2
BACKGROUND
😳😳😳 Amazon “fleeced” Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio for “nearly $3 billion in grants, credits and so on over 25 years.”
“The city and state ponied up nearly $3 billion in grants, credits and so on over 25 years. Down south, Amazon is getting $573 million plus $195 million in infrastructure upgrades. Sure looks like Amazon’s Jeff Bezos just fleeced Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio as rubes.” (Editorial Board, New York Post, “The Amazon deal is no win for New Yorkers,” 11.13.2018)
👀 👀 👀 “New York City is kicking in its own subsidies” and waiving “local control over city land—a privilege other businesses don’t get.”
“Amazon will also get a cash grant of $325 million from the Empire State Development program based on the square footage of buildings it occupies. New York City is kicking in its own subsidies, though its biggest concession was to waive local control over city land—a privilege other businesses don’t get.” (The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board, “Amazon’s Golden Fleecing,” 11.14.2018)
TIMELINE
👏 👏 👏 October 18, 2017: Mayor de Blasio said New York City should win HQ2 “based on the talent of our workers” because that’s something “you can’t buy with tax breaks.”
“We see this as a competition for 50,000 new job openings — jobs we want New Yorkers to land,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday. “We win it based on the talent of our workers and the incredible diversity of industries in this town. Those are the strengths you can’t buy with tax breaks.” (Charles V. Bagli, “In Amazon Bid, New York Brags About, Well, Everything,” The New York Times, 10.18.2017)
👍 👍 👍 October 19, 2017: Mayor de Blasio called Amazon “very destructive to communities.”
“Something different is happening now that is very destructive to communities. A lot of people are turning to Amazon and other online options.” (Dennis Green, “NYC mayor says Amazon is ‘very destructive to communities’ hours after submitting a bid for the company’s second headquarters,” Business Insider, 10.19.2018)
😖😖😖 November 13, 2018: Mayor de Blasio is “thrilled Amazon selected New York City for its new headquarters.”
“We are thrilled that Amazon has selected New York City for its new headquarters.” (Press Release, “Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo Announce Amazon Selects Long Island City for New Corporate Headquarters,” 11.13.2018)
👎 👎 👎 November 13, 2018: After awarding Amazon billions, Mayor de Blasio said small business “would remain under threat.”
“Asked about his concerns for small shops on Tuesday, de Blasio suggested small business would remain under threat with or without Amazon but that increased tax revenue could expand city programs to help small business stay afloat.” (Dana Rubinstein and Glora Pazmino, “De Blasio sides with Amazon against the City Council, and his own rhetoric,” POLITICO, 11.13.2018)
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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.
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