Amazon HQ2 finalists should refuse tax breaks, say nearly 100 economists

Re:Amazon HQ2 finalists should refuse tax breaks, say nearly... by notyourday on Wednesday January 31, 2018 @12:45PM (#16275747)

> Here in real life, it would be great if all of the finalist cities were to band together and say, "We're withdrawing all tax incentives we previously offered. Choose us for us, not for what tax money we're willing to sacrifice."

Here, in the same real life Amazon responds: "Oh, we decided you are no longer the finalists. That place in Idaho gets it."

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Re:Amazon HQ2 finalists should refuse tax breaks, say nearly... by jawns on Wednesday January 31, 2018 @01:24PM (#16276137)

My entire point is that Amazon has likely already chosen its HQ2 location for unrelated business reasons.

But if the finalist cities think that it has not made up its mind yet, and that tax incentives are the primary criterion it is using to make up its mind, then Amazon benefits from them thinking that. It still gets the HQ2 in the city it wants, but on top of that it gets highly competitive tax incentives.

It's not going to chose that place in Idaho (or in my tiny state of Delaware, which also made a proposal) just to spite them.

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Re:Amazon HQ2 finalists should refuse tax breaks, say nearly... by notyourday on Wednesday January 31, 2018 @02:58PM (#16277007)

> It's not going to chose that place in Idaho (or in my tiny state of Delaware, which also made a proposal) just to spite them.

Oh that's 100% incorrect. Absolutely everything has a price. The only question is how much would Amazon need to get in tax breaks to offset tiny state issue

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