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New Yorkers won't give up the fight to stop Amazon colonising our city New Yorkers won't give up the fight to stop Amazon colonising our city
(about 2 months later)
I have come up with a cunning way to save money on my taxes. This year, I will simply tell New York’s tax authorities they should consider it a privilege to have me in the state – one they should jolly well pay for. After all, if I hadn’t moved to New York, they wouldn’t be getting a dime out of me. My decision to base my personal headquarters in NYC and pay taxes here, rather than one of the many other cities I vaguely considered living in, means I deserve an enormous subsidy.I have come up with a cunning way to save money on my taxes. This year, I will simply tell New York’s tax authorities they should consider it a privilege to have me in the state – one they should jolly well pay for. After all, if I hadn’t moved to New York, they wouldn’t be getting a dime out of me. My decision to base my personal headquarters in NYC and pay taxes here, rather than one of the many other cities I vaguely considered living in, means I deserve an enormous subsidy.
Impeccable logic, right? New York governor Andrew Cuomo certainly seems to think so. Amazon’s decision to split its second headquarters across Queens, New York, and Arlington, Virginia, has led to considerable backlash. Many New Yorkers, myself included, are concerned about the uber-rich behemoth exacerbating gentrification, perpetuating unethical business practices and receiving enormous taxpayer subsidies.Impeccable logic, right? New York governor Andrew Cuomo certainly seems to think so. Amazon’s decision to split its second headquarters across Queens, New York, and Arlington, Virginia, has led to considerable backlash. Many New Yorkers, myself included, are concerned about the uber-rich behemoth exacerbating gentrification, perpetuating unethical business practices and receiving enormous taxpayer subsidies.
According to Cuomo, this anger is entirely unwarranted; he recently responded to accusations that New York had essentially given one of the richest companies in the world $1bn to open up in the city with an angry op-ed explaining this was absolutely not the case. Au contraire, morons: “New York doesn’t give Amazon $100m. Amazon gives New York $900m.” This revenue, he explains, is from “state and city taxes, including income taxes”.According to Cuomo, this anger is entirely unwarranted; he recently responded to accusations that New York had essentially given one of the richest companies in the world $1bn to open up in the city with an angry op-ed explaining this was absolutely not the case. Au contraire, morons: “New York doesn’t give Amazon $100m. Amazon gives New York $900m.” This revenue, he explains, is from “state and city taxes, including income taxes”.
Cuomo’s mental gymnastics are impressive, but he isn’t fooling anyone. New Yorkers aren’t pushovers and a battle is under way to keep Amazon from colonizing the city. On 14 November, a day after Amazon announced its New York HQ, local officials, union members and activists gathered in Long Island City to protest against the deal, which many consider to have been secretly engineered by Cuomo and the New York mayor, Bill de Blasio, behind the city council’s back. “If we had known what was going on six months ago or 10 months ago, we could have stopped this a long time ago,” state senator Michael Gianaris said at the rally.Cuomo’s mental gymnastics are impressive, but he isn’t fooling anyone. New Yorkers aren’t pushovers and a battle is under way to keep Amazon from colonizing the city. On 14 November, a day after Amazon announced its New York HQ, local officials, union members and activists gathered in Long Island City to protest against the deal, which many consider to have been secretly engineered by Cuomo and the New York mayor, Bill de Blasio, behind the city council’s back. “If we had known what was going on six months ago or 10 months ago, we could have stopped this a long time ago,” state senator Michael Gianaris said at the rally.
New York labor leaders: Amazon has 'record of routinely mistreating workers'New York labor leaders: Amazon has 'record of routinely mistreating workers'
Activists are still hoping to stop Amazon’s New York HQ from materializing or, at the very least, renegotiate a deal that is more favorable to the city. You know, a deal that perhaps gives more thought to funding the city’s crumbling public transit system than ensuring Jeff Bezos has an onsite helipad.Activists are still hoping to stop Amazon’s New York HQ from materializing or, at the very least, renegotiate a deal that is more favorable to the city. You know, a deal that perhaps gives more thought to funding the city’s crumbling public transit system than ensuring Jeff Bezos has an onsite helipad.
On Monday protesters marched through Amazon’s midtown book store before gathering in front of the Long Island City courthouse for a rally. “The people of Queens deserve better and we demand better and we will march forever until we get what we deserve,” council member Jimmy Van Bramer told the rally. Van Bramer said elected city officials would not stop protesting until the Amazon deal had been renegotiated.On Monday protesters marched through Amazon’s midtown book store before gathering in front of the Long Island City courthouse for a rally. “The people of Queens deserve better and we demand better and we will march forever until we get what we deserve,” council member Jimmy Van Bramer told the rally. Van Bramer said elected city officials would not stop protesting until the Amazon deal had been renegotiated.
Officials have been making good on that promise. On Wednesday union leaders and city lawmakers gathered in City Hall park to publicize a report by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) that criticizes the “deadly and dehumanizing employment practices” in Amazon warehouses. “Amazon has a record of routinely mistreating and exploiting its workers at all levels, whether they are employed in its corporate offices or in its warehouses,” said RWDSU president Stuart Appelbaum. In other words, your promise of bringing jobs to the city isn’t exciting anyone.Officials have been making good on that promise. On Wednesday union leaders and city lawmakers gathered in City Hall park to publicize a report by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) that criticizes the “deadly and dehumanizing employment practices” in Amazon warehouses. “Amazon has a record of routinely mistreating and exploiting its workers at all levels, whether they are employed in its corporate offices or in its warehouses,” said RWDSU president Stuart Appelbaum. In other words, your promise of bringing jobs to the city isn’t exciting anyone.
It’s not just left-leaning officials and labor leaders who are critical of New York’s Amazon deal. Even the Wall Street Journal’s editorial board has described it as “crony capitalism” at its worst – opining that one of the richest companies in the history of the world was taking “New York politicians for a subsidy ride”. When the Wall Street Journal’s editorial board, who reckon that Brazil’s terrifying rightwing president-elect Jair Bolsonaro is a “swamp drainer”, is accusing you of “crony capitalism” then you ought to take a long hard look at yourself. However, Cuomo, who has joked about changing his name to “Amazon Cuomo”, seems more concerned about ingratiating himself with Bezos than thinking about the New Yorkers he is supposed to be serving.It’s not just left-leaning officials and labor leaders who are critical of New York’s Amazon deal. Even the Wall Street Journal’s editorial board has described it as “crony capitalism” at its worst – opining that one of the richest companies in the history of the world was taking “New York politicians for a subsidy ride”. When the Wall Street Journal’s editorial board, who reckon that Brazil’s terrifying rightwing president-elect Jair Bolsonaro is a “swamp drainer”, is accusing you of “crony capitalism” then you ought to take a long hard look at yourself. However, Cuomo, who has joked about changing his name to “Amazon Cuomo”, seems more concerned about ingratiating himself with Bezos than thinking about the New Yorkers he is supposed to be serving.
Income inequality in New York has rocketed, reaching unconscionable levels. One in 10 public school children in New York City is homeless: a 65.5% spike since the 2010-11 school year, according to recently released data. Taxpayers’ money should be going to those children. It should be going to fix the city’s public transit system. It should be going towards helping working class New Yorkers, not buying Bezos a helipad and exacerbating gentrification.Income inequality in New York has rocketed, reaching unconscionable levels. One in 10 public school children in New York City is homeless: a 65.5% spike since the 2010-11 school year, according to recently released data. Taxpayers’ money should be going to those children. It should be going to fix the city’s public transit system. It should be going towards helping working class New Yorkers, not buying Bezos a helipad and exacerbating gentrification.
Mark my words, New Yorkers will continue to battle this unfair Amazon deal. Bezos may be a billionaire capable of buying whatever he likes, but he isn’t going to buy New York’s future without a serious fight.Mark my words, New Yorkers will continue to battle this unfair Amazon deal. Bezos may be a billionaire capable of buying whatever he likes, but he isn’t going to buy New York’s future without a serious fight.
AmazonAmazon
OpinionOpinion
E-commerceE-commerce
InternetInternet
New YorkNew York
Jeff BezosJeff Bezos
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