Amazon cancels plans for New York City HQ, deals blow to Gov. Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio
Ocasio-Cortez said she thought the cost of the subsidies outweighed the estimated 25,000 jobs Amazon would have created. 'If we were willing to give away away $3 billion for this deal, we could. Andrew Cuomo lambasted politicians such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and others over Amazon's decision to leave New York City. Opponents of the deal with the tech giant had 'put. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (born October 13, 1989) is the youngest woman ever to be elected to serve in the U.S. Just 29 years of age, she represents New York City’s 14th District. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez responds to news that Amazon has canceled its plan to build a campus in her district, saying it shows that “everyday Americans. Ocasio-Cortez, as you remember, took a victory lap when they pulled out (via WSJ): Me waiting on the haters to apologize after we were proven right on Amazon and saved the public billions https.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo lambasted politicians such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and others over Amazon's decision to leave New York City. Opponents of the deal with the tech giant had 'put their own narrow political interests above their community,' he said.
'[A] small group [of] politicians put their own narrow political interests above their community -- which poll after poll showed overwhelmingly supported bringing Amazon to Long Island City -- the state's economic future and the best interests of the people of this state,' Cuomo said in the statement, which did not mention Ocasio-Cortez or other lawmakers by name. 'The New York State Senate has done tremendous damage. They should be held accountable for this lost economic opportunity.'
In the statement issued by his office, Gov. Cuomo mentioned that Amazon chose the Empire State because it is 'the capital of the world and the best place to do business,' adding that missing out on Amazon is a lost opportunity to diversify 'our economy away from real estate and Wall Street.'
Cuomo also said New York lost out on an opportunity to further cement its status 'as an emerging center for tech and was an extraordinary economic win not just for Queens and New York City, but for the entire region, from Long Island to Albany's nanotech center.'
The governor ended the statement saying that New York's business climate remains and it would not be 'deterred as we continue to attract world class business to communities across New York State.'
Cuomo's statement is seemingly at odds with Mayor Bill de Blasio's comments on the issue, which seemed to put the onus on the Jeff Bezos-led company and not lawmakers who bemoaned the deal the two had helped usher in.
'You have to be tough to make it in New York City. We gave Amazon the opportunity to be a good neighbor and do business in the greatest city in the world,' de Blasio said in the statement. 'Instead of working with the community, Amazon threw away that opportunity. We have the best talent in the world and every day we are growing a stronger and fairer economy for everyone. If Amazon can’t recognize what that’s worth, its competitors will.”
Cuomo and de Blasio were largely responsible for helping bring Amazon to New York, a deal that would have seen 25,000 jobs, paying approximately $150,000 per year, enter Long Island City.
Amazon, based in Seattle, would have also occupied 8 million square feet of office space in Long Island City as part of its investment announced last November and would have generated 'incremental tax revenue of more than $10 billion over the next 20 years as a result of Amazon’s investment and job creation.'
In response to the news, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, a self-described democratic socialist, tweeted that 'anything is possible,' taking a victory lap upon hearing the news.
Separately, the United Food and Commercial Workers union, which represents a number of New York-based Amazon workers, lambasted Amazon for its decision, which would have received a slew of city and state tax breaks and subsidies worth up to $3 billion in exchange for the jobs and investment.
'Amazon showed its true colors today and every American should be outraged,' the union said in the statement. 'Jeff Bezos had the opportunity to listen to the voices of working families and support the good-paying jobs New Yorkers deserve. But now we can see this is all about blind greed and Jeff Bezos' belief that everyday taxpayers should foot the bill for their new headquarters even as the company actively works to eliminate millions of American retail jobs.'
In a statement issued on Thursday, Amazon cited the lack of cooperation from certain elected officials as part of its reason to leave New York.
'For Amazon, the commitment to build a new headquarters requires positive, collaborative relationships with state and local elected officials who will be supportive over the long-term,' Amazon said in its statement.
The company added that while 70 percent of New Yorkers supported the company's plans, 'a number of state and local politicians have made it clear that they oppose our presence and will not work with us to build the type of relationships that are required to go forward with the project we and many others envisioned in Long Island City.'
According to a December Quinnipiac University poll, 57 percent of New York City residents supported Amazon’s arrival in the region, compared to just 26 percent who opposed the deal, Fox Business previously reported.
Fox News' James Rogers and Tamara Gitt contributed to this story.
Amazon pulls out of plan to build New York City headquarters
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is taking a victory lap after delivering the goods in her fight against Amazon.
The star freshman Democrat – along with other lawmakers – had strongly criticized the planned opening of Amazon’s second headquarters in New York.
So, after Jeff Bezos’ tech giant announced Thursday it was pulling the plug on its proposed Long Island City location, the Bronx native had something to celebrate.
“Anything is possible: today was the day a group of dedicated, everyday New Yorkers & their neighbors defeated Amazon’s corporate greed, its worker exploitation, and the power of the richest man in the world,” she tweeted.
Democratic 2020 hopeful Elizabeth Warren also celebrated the decision, tweeting: '.@Amazon – one of the wealthiest companies on the planet – just walked away from billions in taxpayer bribes, all because some elected officials in New York aren't sucking up to them enough. How long will we allow giant corporations to hold our democracy hostage?'
Other New Yorkers were not so pleased.
'Absolutely disgraceful that @amazon is driven from New York by left wing progressive politicians. Terrible loss of jobs for New York workers and New York economy,' Rep. Pete King, R-N.Y., tweeted.
It came after Amazon said in a statement that pushback from New York lawmakers was a key factor in the decision to cancel its plans.
'After much thought and deliberation, we’ve decided not to move forward with our plans to build a headquarters for Amazon in Long Island City, Queens,' the statement read.
'For Amazon, the commitment to build a new headquarters requires positive, collaborative relationships with state and local elected officials who will be supportive over the long-term.
Ocasio Cortez Amazon Jobs
“While polls show that 70% of New Yorkers support our plans and investment, a number of state and local politicians have made it clear that they oppose our presence and will not work with us to build the type of relationships that are required to go forward with the project we and many others envisioned in Long Island City.”
The company added that it is 'disappointed to have reached this conclusion.'
The opposition against HQ2 has been mounting in recent months. In December, for example, Amazon execs were grilled and jeered at a New York City Council meeting over the deal.
Earlier this month, Ocasio-Cortez trashed the plan – which had promised to create 25,000 jobs and over $27.5 billion in tax revenue in 25 years – and called on 'everyday people' to 'effectively organize against creeping overreach of one of the world’s biggest corporations.'
The deal was greeted with much fanfare, though, when it was announced last year and was lauded as a major economic boost by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and others.
Ocasio Cortez Amazon 3 Billion
Amazon said it would proceed as planned with the second part of its HQ2, which will be built in Northern Virginia, as well as its distribution center that it said it would open in Nashville. It will also continue to 'hire and grow across our 17 corporate offices and tech hubs in the U.S. and Canada.'
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.