Amazon is now reconsidering opening part of its second headquarters in New York after fierce opposition from lawmakers per a new report.
The move being blamed on Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez may cost New Yorkers 25,000 jobs in her district.
The Washington Post, which is owned by Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos is reporting that the Seattle based tech company is reconsidering the plans and have not leased or purchased any office space now for the project.
“The question is whether it’s worth it if the politicians in New York don’t want the project, especially with how people in Virginia and Nashville have been so welcoming,” one person familiar with the company’s plans told The Washington Post.
“Whether it’s building a pipeline of local jobs through workforce training or funding computer science classes for thousands of New York City students, we are working hard to demonstrate what kind of neighbor we will be,” Amazon added in the statement
As part of the deal, Amazon would stand to receive “performance-based direct incentives of $1.525 billion” for creating the 25,000 jobs in Long Island City. Of this $1.525 billion, up to $1.2 billion could come from a refundable tax credit through New York State’s Excelsior Program and a $325 million cash grant from the Empire State Development fund. The company also said that it will “separately apply for as-of-right incentives including New York City’s Industrial & Commercial Abatement Program (ICAP) and New York City’s Relocation and Employment Assistance Program (REAP).”
Last month, New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson said no one should assume it’s a “done deal.” “I don’t think anyone should assume that this is a fait accompli, and that this is a done deal,” Johnson told Business Insider. “This is the beginning of a process where the public and the City Council and other elected officials are going to continue to seek answers and understand whether or not this is a good deal for New York City, or if we got played.”
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