[quote]Maryland’s transportation chief said Tuesday that he has promised Amazon a “blank check” for any transportation improvements the retail giant would want if it chooses the state’s Washington suburbs for a second headquarters.
Transportation Secretary Pete K. Rahn said that amount “could be more or could be less” than the $2 billion in unspecified transportation upgrades the state has already committed to as part of its $5 billion pitch for Amazon to choose the White Flint area of North Bethesda in Montgomery County.
“Our statement for HQ2 is we’ll provide whatever is necessary to Amazon when they need it,” Rahn told state senators during a hearing on his department’s budget, according to an online video archive of the public meeting. “For all practical purposes, it’s a blank check.”
Rahn said the state doesn’t have the $2 billion budgeted, saying, “I don’t know how we’d do it.”
“However, there is no doubt we will have to fund it if they choose Maryland, and quite honestly, that would be a problem I would love to have,” he added.[/quote]
[url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2018/02/06/maryland-transportation-chief-pledges-blank-check-to-clinch-amazons-hq2/?utm_term=.e399d8792a8a]Washington Post[/url]
Can I just have a kneejerk reaction here for a moment and say how sad it is that this is the state of corporate influence in America (specifically with the tech giants, ie Amazon), that cities are bending over backwards and basically sucking Amazon's dick just hoping they'll drop an office in their city? I know, I know, it will be great for their economy and will probably pay itself back, whatever. I'm jerking my knee and nobody can stop me.
I think this will be great for Amazon, less so for the local economy.
[QUOTE=Lambeth;53115647]I think this will be great for Amazon, less so for the local economy.[/QUOTE]
Realtalk, local governments need to stop giving huge concessions to mega-corps.
It especially hurts local smaller businesses, which is something most people say they're against.
[QUOTE=Lambeth;53115647]I think this will be great for Amazon, less so for the local economy.[/QUOTE]
Depends on the city, I would reckon.
Somewhere like Detroit would do really well if Amazon were to open the new headquarters there.
Maryland for once stop being a asswipe. Bad enough we're losing Discovery HQ for New York, now we'll know where Amazon COULD be heading.
[QUOTE=Splash Attack;53115766]Depends on the city, I would reckon.
Somewhere like Detroit would do really well if Amazon were to open the new headquarters there.[/QUOTE]
Already looking forward to Amazon's new product line of body armor
[QUOTE=srobins;53115644]Can I just have a kneejerk reaction here for a moment and say how sad it is that this is the state of corporate influence in America (specifically with the tech giants, ie Amazon), that cities are bending over backwards and basically sucking Amazon's dick just hoping they'll drop an office in their city? I know, I know, it will be great for their economy and will probably pay itself back, whatever. I'm jerking my knee and nobody can stop me.[/QUOTE]
I don't really have an issue with using tax incentives to attract business. An Amazon office won't just create Amazon jobs, it will put that city on the map as America's next big tech hub, creating even more jobs as other companies flock to the area to follow Amazon. Counties use tax incentives to promote business and create jobs all the time
[editline]7th February 2018[/editline]
Also it's gonna be Northern VA
Amazon strike me as one of the more horrifyingly dystopian corporations out there, frankly, and I see this as nothing but a bad move. Interconnecting local government with corporations is always bad fucking china.
[QUOTE=glitchvid;53115723]Realtalk, local governments need to stop giving huge concessions to mega-corps.
It especially hurts local smaller businesses, which is something most people say they're against.[/QUOTE]
I love supporting local business and do so whenever possible but honestly it doesn't really make a difference to the economy if it's amazon or pawpaw's rv rentals so long as it makes the same money. the local economy sees the same thing from them either way.
[QUOTE=Chris Morris;53116143]Amazon strike me as one of the more horrifyingly dystopian corporations out there, frankly, and I see this as nothing but a bad move. Interconnecting local government with corporations is always bad fucking china.[/QUOTE]
This has been happening all the time with football teams.
The solution would likely to eventually pass federal legislation to limit what cities can offer, otherwise cities are incentivized to participate in a race to the bottom. You should compete with infrastructure, education, already-sane tax policy, that kinda shit, rather than sucking off a specific company.
Amazon can pay for their own goddamn office.
What's a convenience store? All I know is Amazon.
[QUOTE=butre;53116161]I love supporting local business and do so whenever possible but honestly it doesn't really make a difference to the economy if it's amazon or pawpaw's rv rentals so long as it makes the same money. the local economy sees the same thing from them either way.[/QUOTE]
One is getting preferrential treatment.
This actually happened locally to me, a local ISP was in talks to start rolling out fiber to the city, but then Google came in, got a free lunch, and told the ISP to fuck off. It's been years now and most of the city still doesn't have fiber.
[QUOTE=Splash Attack;53115766]Depends on the city, I would reckon.
Somewhere like Detroit would do really well if Amazon were to open the new headquarters there.[/QUOTE]
No, it would not help Detroit. Unless Amazon is going to pay out of pocket to fix the roads and Michigan changes its laws so overweight trucks quit destroying the roads, Amazon wont be good for the city.
Adding more semis onto an already destroyed road that the city or state doesnt have the money to fix isn't going to help. Michigan has the worst roads in the nation, more traffic will not help.
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