Re:Amazon to Build Second HQ in North America
by euyyn on Thursday September 07, 2017 @11:15AM
(#15192586)
I mean, if you don't like the tax cuts your city government offers Amazon to try and get their headquarter, you can vote them out come the next election.
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Re:Amazon to Build Second HQ in North America
by BatFastard on Thursday September 07, 2017 @11:41AM
(#15192856)
But as happened in Marietta Ga recently, the government officials had already committed the county to 600 million for a new stadium. They got voted out, but the county is still stuck with the bill.
Re:Amazon to Build Second HQ in North America
by athenot on Thursday September 07, 2017 @12:55PM
(#15193659)
Nitpick: it was Cobb County. But yeah the damage was done regardless, and now the county is left trying to find ways to pay for what it committed to, by increasing taxes and/or poaching money from other services like public schools.
Re:Amazon to Build Second HQ in North America
by euyyn on Thursday September 07, 2017 @02:15PM
(#15194386)
Yeah not saying it's perfect. But it's better than those people staying in power, and with the AK-47s.
Re:Amazon to Build Second HQ in North America
by leggomylibro on Thursday September 07, 2017 @12:09PM
(#15193132)
No, you can't; deals involving this much money are beyond local politics. For example, Washington's governor just vetoed a measure that would extend state tax cuts to manufacturing companies that aren't called Boeing, and he's not going anywhere.
And even if people do complain, all your mayor/city council has to do to win re-election is claim that all the jobs would disappear if they didn't offer the incentives. You can't do anything about this, it's just blatant corruption endemic to the system.
Re:Amazon to Build Second HQ in North America
by unethical_ban on Thursday September 07, 2017 @01:39PM
(#15194060)
I'm not arguing for a ban, but here would be the argument: It's clearly unethical, undesirable behavior, but even if a particular municipality didn't like the game, it's tough not to play (much like taking corporate donations for political campaigns). So instead of trying to live the libertarian good life of "Our city is better than that" and losing because someone else has fewer scruples, it is proposed that the practice be banned.
Re:Amazon to Build Second HQ in North America
by euyyn on Thursday September 07, 2017 @02:18PM
(#15194414)
I guess I would disagree with the "it's clearly unethical, undesirable behavior" part. I just don't think it's clearly good nor clearly bad.
Re:Amazon to Build Second HQ in North America
by unethical_ban on Thursday September 07, 2017 @02:36PM
(#15194586)
I think it isn't in theory (jobs! tax revenue from families!) but how often do these things play out?