Amazon Is Under Attack for Seeking Tax Break in Exchange for HQ2
As the search for a second headquarters drags on, Amazon gives critics more ammunition and time to fire away.
In September 2017, Amazon.com Inc. became America’s most eligible corporate bachelor when it announced plans for a second headquarters. More than 200 cities across North America fell over themselves trying to woo the e-commerce giant and the 50,000 well-paying tech jobs on offer. The more shameless attempts to win Amazon’s attention included Arizona trucking a cactus to Seattle and a Georgia town offering to rename itself, yes, Amazon.
Exactly one year later, negotiations with 20 finalist cities from New York to Los Angeles have retreated behind closed doors. Instead of public displays of affection, Amazon is fending off barbs sharper than the prickers on that 21-foot saguaro cactus. As the world’s second-most valuable public company weighs the tax breaks and other goodies proffered by eager suitors, it stands accused of being a corporate welfare leech that should be giving the government and its workers more rather than further milking taxpayers to expand. As the world’s wealthiest individual, Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos also makes a tempting target.