Impact of Queens Amazon HQ2
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo greets John Schoettler, vice president for global real estate and facilities at Amazon, during Tuesday's Manhattan news conference on Amazon's decision to move its second headquarters to Long Island City. Credit: Yeong-Ung Yang
So, one of the most profitable companies on earth is going to be the beneficiary of a $1.5 billion economic development incentive package to locate in Long Island City [“Amazon primed to make NYC, LI imprint,” News, Nov. 14].
Research has shown that these incentives typically play a minor role in a company’s decision in selecting a site. New Jersey offered $7 billion and Maryland $8.5 billion. So money itself was not the deciding factor for Amazon. The sort of talent that Amazon needs abounds in New York, and so this was essentially a real estate decision. We know what drives real estate: location, location, location.
At some point, cities and states need to stand against this corporate extortion and just tell prospective settlers to accept the prospective benefits of an area without being paid to like it.
Arthur M. Shatz, Oakland Gardens
Seriously, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, Mayor Bill de Blasio: $1.5 billion in incentives to a trillion-dollar company for 25,000 jobs at a time when housing, infrastructure and mass transit are in horrendous shape and getting worse?
This is an example of how elected representatives no longer represent the real needs-and-wants of all the people they were sworn to represent. Instead they represent big business and real estate’s needs-and-wants without concern for the effects on the people, and where and how they live. I’ll never forget the 2016 announcement from the state Public Service Commission allowing National Grid to pass to their customers some of the multimillion-dollar cost of the superfund cleanup the company inherited when it bought KeySpan, which bought Brooklyn Union Gas. State and city representatives did not respond to inquires about this abomination of our trust, and money.
Barry Brothers, Homecrest
One of the greatest impacts Amazon will bestow on the tristate area will be a secret for some time [“Amazon HQ2: potential vs. challenges,” Editorial, Nov. 14].
How will it solve the problem of the Hudson River? There is only strangled freight crossing of the river via barges. The Cross Bronx Expressway was a parking lot 50 years ago. The Staten Island bridges are no better.
It’s hard to believe that Amazon would make this move to only support status quo of freight movement. What’s its plan? It’s going to be really big for all of us.
Michael Kosinski, East Hills
