Amazon, Inc. was forced to withdraw its bid to locate a second headquarters facility in New York City two weeks ago, but New York state and city political leadership hasn't forgotten them.
Governor Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Bill de Blasio, major unions, and businesses have all begun a fierce lobbying campaign to woo Amazon back to the city. The governor has been active, talking to Amazon executives including CEO Jeff Bezos, about a new location. The original deal was canceled when radical socialist politicians like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez objected to the tax breaks being given away to convince Amazon to choose New York City.
The reason for the campaign to bring Amazon back? It's all about the Benjamins.
In an attempt to save the Amazon plan, Cuomo has spent the last two weeks privately talking with Amazon executives, including Bezos, two people with knowledge of the conversations told the New York Times. While Cuomo did not offer a new location for the HQ2 plan, he did guarantee the executives that there would be support for the plan, according to one of the Times sources. In addition Cuomo's efforts to save the plan, an open letter is being arranged for publication in the Times on Friday, the newspaper reported.
The letter said, in part, that Gov. Cuomo "will take personal responsibility for the project's state approval, and Mayor de Blasio will work together with the governor to manage the community development process."
At least 25,000 jobs would have been created by the Amazon move, and Cuomo says the state is losing $27 billion in tax revenue over the next ten years.
Way to go, AOC.
"I do believe Amazon should have stayed and fought the opposition," said Cuomo on Tuesday in a radio interview. "It was a vocal minority opposition. Seventy percent of the people support Amazon."
One of the people familiar with Cuomo's communications with Amazon executives said that he reiterated this argument. The open letter that is scheduled to be in the Times on Friday is aimed to rebut the notion that opposition to the plan was widespread.
"We know the public debate that followed the announcement of the Long Island City project was rough and not very welcoming," reads the letter, paid for by the Partnership for New York City, a prominent business group. "Governor Cuomo will take personal responsibility for the project's state approval and Mayor de Blasio will work together with the governor to manage the community development process."
Kathryn S. Wylde, the president of the partnership, said the open letter is not just aimed at Amazon, but other technology companies that may be interested in coming to New York City for business.
"Yes, it's directed to Amazon in hopes they will reconsider. Equally, it is a message to the broader industry," Wylde said. "The governor's office was working with the business community on how to send this message."
Maloney, who signed the open letter, slammed Ocasio-Cortez two weeks ago for her opposition to the Amazon plan, saying, "Now we are protesting jobs?"
Amazon didn't stay and fight Ocasio-Cortez and her ignorant friends because it didn't have to. There are at least four other cities now in the running to host Amazon's headquarters, with the leading candidate apparently Northern Virginia.
Not everyone is turning up his nose at 25K jobs.
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2019/03/gov_cuomo_frantically_working_behind_the_scenes_to_woo_back_amazon.html
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