Amazon's Now Abandoned Special Deal Not So Special

Amidst the rhetoric around the abandoned Amazon deal do let me note this - most of the incentives and tax breaks Amazon was offered are available to any qualifying company that moves to New York and/or creates jobs there. These were 80's era tax incentive programs intended to boost New York city and state. Do they make sense today? Probably not for the greatest city in the word, although upstate has needed help since the railroads eclipsed the Erie Canal.

Be that as it may, the Gotham Gazette had details when the deal was announced last November, as did the NY Times:

New York promised Amazon $1.525 billion in incentives, including $1.2 billion over the next 10 years as part of the state’s Excelsior tax credit. The state also pledged to help Amazon with infrastructure upgrades, job-training programs and even assistance “securing access to a helipad” — none of which came with a price tag.

...

New York City did not offer any special tax breaks to Amazon as part of the deal. But the company will be able to take advantage of existing city tax credits, including a program designed to encourage companies to create jobs outside the busiest parts of Manhattan. The program, open to all companies, could be worth as much as $900 million to Amazon over 12 years, on top of the state incentives.

In addition to the Excelsior Jobs Program the Gotham Gazette cites REAP and ICAP.

The "by-right" nature of these open-to-all programs has never been a mystery. Yet coverage includes some howlers. Megan McArdle linked to this blast from the past by Josh Barro, who really ought to know better:

Here’s Why New York Is Resorting to Paying Amazon $3 Billion for What Google Will Do for Free

I'll bet Google applied for the benefit under those programs but didn't encourage politicians to take a victory lap talking up tax breaks for Google. Discretion is the better part of tax avoidance.

So Josh Barro made a mistake. So what? But here is a slightly more prominent figure delivering the same howler:

You know, I think it’s really important that we understand that we need to invest in our economy, but we need to invest in our people, and to give away $3 billion to a company that has a history of worker exploitation that’s paying below what the cost of New York City is not acceptable for us. We need to have good jobs, and they need to come to the table as in — you know, any company that wants to come to New York needs to come to the table as an equal partner, and you look at how Google came to New York; it was not nearly as controversial as this, and I think it’s because of, they were willing to work with local communities.”

“What’s great is that our economy, our local economy, is already growing. So I firmly believe that if we want to take that $3 billion dollars that we were willing to give to Amazon and invest it in our local community, we can do that. We can make those jobs. We can make 25,000 jobs.”

If and when those 25,000 jobs are created in Long Island City I bet the employers will be filing for the available tax breaks. Quietly. That's just my wild guess. But don't tell AOC and she'll never know. Very clever of Google to keep it on the dl - its an expedient modus operandi, although people do get upset when they learn the truth.

BONUS BAFFLER: Here is a Times piece on the Amazon subsidies. The author may be aware that these are public programs but it is well concealed. Her sinister close:

[Nathan Jensen, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin who studies incentive packages] suspects that some people will learn the opposite lesson — that New York should have just given Amazon what it wanted. A better takeaway, he said, is that huge subsidies aren’t necessary. And politicians should beware the consequences of negotiating them in private.

Don't negotiate in private or apply programs on the books for thirty years. Got it.

NOT SO HARD: The Sunday Times will include a piece on Amazon by Amy Liu. Explaining the subsidies is not impossible!:

But the role of public officials in this controversy deserves more scrutiny. Too often, they agree to economic development deals that fail to protect the interests of their constituents and negotiate through a process that is closed door and top down. State and local officials continue to hand out goodies even though evidence suggests that such subsidies have little effect on jobs.

In New York, the governor and mayor structured an agreement with Amazon using policy tools already established in the law. Amazon received “as-of-right” incentives, which are given automatically when a company wants to expand or relocate its facilities. New York’s as-of-right incentives, which are available to any company in a priority industry for the state that goes to a borough outside Manhattan, have been widely criticized as flawed and outdated. The amount of incentives offered ballooned to billions of dollars because of the proposed job count. Additionally, the city and state agreed that Amazon would not need to go through a local land-use review process, prompting the City Council to cry foul. Soon, a vocal minority of elected officials, labor leaders, and community activists revolted against the deal.

 

 

Comments

[JimNorCal]

Second!

[JimNorCal]

I told the Long Island City daughter to
1) cancel the frantic search for a condo. Real estate won't be skyrocketing after all
2) stick with her corporate law job, put a hold on applying to Amazon's in-house legal group

[henry]

Gee, you would think the richest man on the planet (with bonus dic pics) would provide enough opportunities for graft. Not in the Big Apple Baby!!!!

Have fun getting displaced by rats. (Seriously, rats are taking over from corrupt politicians).

[Ralph L]

I've forgotten where the other HQ was going.
That would be a lot of new jobs for most metro areas to support without a huge mess. Traffic/housing/schools.

[D]

Upstate New York is where the help and jobs are needed.Time for Cuomo and other New York representatives to focus on this crucial part of the state
that such beautiful natural wonders and mainly why people visit.

[henry]

Raplph, the other half was Arlington VA.

[JimNorCal]

Sad but hardly surprising
Replaced by an immigrant in Germany

BJG commenter:
Karma – In Germany an elderly social worker who helped migrants settle is being evicted from his apartment … to make room for migrants:
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2019/02/germany-elderly-man-who-facilitated-muslim-migrant-influx-gets-kicked-out-of-his-own-flat-to-accommodate-migrants

[henry]

I’m waiting on the traffic / housing mess from Foxconn. Seems like 15,000 jobs would be a bigger deal for Racine than 25,000 for NYC.

[D]

Jimin Sunnyvale:
No good deed goes unpunished.
If we don’t get our own border under control, this could be us.

[Extraneus]

Great post, TM.

New York State quietly provides incentives that appear to be far beyond the 80's era programs you mentioned, including cash transfers, capital equipment purchases and 50/50 matching of other kinds of investments. IBM would be out of the semiconductor R&D business without NY State subsidies, for example. (They're already out of the manufacturing business.)

https://esd.ny.gov/doing-business-ny/tax-based-incentives

[D]

Henry:
In the end I am hoping Foxconn will be a good thing.

[Manuel Transmission]

Hoyden,

No ferry from BLI, but it is about a 45 min drive to the Anacortes terminal and you can park there and walk on saving time and $$. We would pick you up on the other end.

I might even be able to get you a crew car.

[D]

We get advertisements on local channels about the perks of doing business in New York State.

[henry]

Via a TM tweet, Pelosi wishing us a Happy Thanksgiving (on Valentines Day):

http://www.theamericanmirror.com/confusion-pelosi-wishes-happy-thanksgiving-on-valentines-day/

[henry]

Maryrose, Foxconn bring a good thing is my retirement plan. :)

[henry]

Trump tweet:

BUILDING THE WALL!

[MissMarple2]

Another investment opportunity!

https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/430367-nba-commissioner-announces-barack-obama-to-be-involved-with

Obama to be involved with a new basketball league called Basketball Africa!

And yes, TK, one of the countries is Kenya.

[Extraneus]

Clyburn: I’m Not Optimistic Disapproval Resolution on Emergency Declaration Passes Senate – ‘Great Possibility’ House Sues

They will lose.

Imagine the courts taking over the power to declare national emergencies?

The Wall is being built, like Trump said it would.

[henry]

Ext, the tyrants in black robes would love to run everything by backseat driving .

[MissMarple2]

Donald J. Trump
‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump
6m6 minutes ago

Trade negotiators have just returned from China where the meetings on Trade were very productive. Now at meetings with me at Mar-a-Lago giving the details. In the meantime, Billions of Dollars are being paid to the United States by China in the form of Trade Tariffs!

[D]

Henry:
The altzheimer’s meds are Nancy’s.
It is criminal that the Democrat Party allows this woman to be third in line to the presidency.
She is only lucid part of the time.

[pagar]

Henry @06:55

"(Seriously, rats are taking over from corrupt politicians)."

Is there a difference?

[MissMarple2]

Jennifer Jacobs
‏Verified account @JenniferJJacobs
2m2 minutes ago

BREAKING scoop: Heather Nauert withdrawn from consideration for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

[Captain Hate]

RIP Pat Caddell

Surprised he didn't switch parties although he probably thought why bother.

[Threadkiller]

Doesn't surprise me. Back when O'Reilly had Heather on as pervy eye-candy, she screwed the birther story up so badly even the big doofus was puzzled.

Birther POTUS deserves better.

[lurkersusie]

Here we go again

SFGate
@SFGate
Multiple-vehicle crash near Donner Pass creates traffic nightmare on I-80 heading to Truckee (link: http://dlvr.it/Qz3Hvk) dlvr.it/Qz3Hvk

[henry]

TM tweet:

Wait, what? Trump's tough line on the Mexico caravan worked? The @nytimes calls it "an apparent win" for Trump as 6,000 asylum seekers turn around, head for home.
But, but, but - I have been assured that walls don't work!

[Captain Hate]

If BOR was confused, THE FOLKS couldn't have been happy.

[Narciso79]

Carrying over from the other thread

https://mobile.twitter.com/alimhaider/status/1096861202880348160

[Threadkiller]

Doormat and coffee cups sales took a hit, CH.

[MissMarple2]

Captain Hate,

ChiTown wants me to tell you that Corzine's personal statute of limitations expired on 10/31/16.

He also says it is why Rudy ran over from Manhattan to endorse Chris Christie on Corzine's front lawn in Hoboken. (Ex. US atty's giving the finger to you know who.)

[Jim Eagle]

Wow. The Heather Neurath story is interesing. Wonder what that is about.

Been lurking between Rugby, Golf, dinner and just sitting outside in 80F weather, like now.

I am becoming a great believer that Trump has nothing except that he knows the dominoes are going to fall soon. All the 4D crap is going to be soon exposed as exactly that. It is a straight path, no curves. Goodbye the perpetrators, whether Comey , Brennan, Clapper or others. Just say goodbye.

[Narciso79]

Who knows:

https://mobile.twitter.com/SMohyeddin/status/1096782831706169344

He was subsequently a 9/11 denialist contracted as un envoy

[henry]

JiB 20 here, pending 1-3” snow. Agree Trump is waiting for normal dimension axe to drop.

[Narciso79]

Rush thought Cuomo had been nearly criminally incompetent in the way he presented the deal

[hoyden]

MT, a friend and I did the drive to Anacortes, walked on, and ferry to Friday Harbor. A delightful and relaxing voyage. Then we rented a 3-wheeler in town and tootled around the nearby countryside. It was back when Obama shut down the parks. We snuck in anyway. The broad plan is to arrive Thursday before Memorial Day weekend and leave out the following Tuesday.

[Narciso79]

It's a shame that democracy could not produce this:

https://www.caracaschronicles.com/2019/02/16/what-we-know-about-the-u-s-based-oil-sector-appointments/

[Captain Hate]

Rudy wasn't exactly a knight in shining armor when it came to the rights of the accused being given to Michael Milken. Or the needs of startups to raise capital.

[Narciso79]

True it seems to be a thing with us attorneys in general weld Christie guiliani perhaps digenova was the exception.

[Jim Eagle]

BTW, I love Hobeken. Lots of great restraurants. Now many condo developments with terrific views of Manhattan all lit up at night.

In 1951, ny FIL made the voyage from Hoboken Belgium to Hoboken, NJ to attend Columbia Univeristy to gain his MBA.

In 1995 I lived in Hoboken while working on a bid for the Light Rail system there. Great city,

[Narciso79]

Shame about caddell, (yes I know he gave us Jimmy carter)

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/michael-goodwin-andrew-mccabe-is-a-national-disgrace-and-we-owe-him-a-big-fat-thank-you

[pagar]

IMO, this guy may be one of the most useless in the Whole USA.

https://legalinsurrection.com/2019/02/democrats-come-out-in-support-of-taking-down-existing-border-barriers/

He absolutely doesn't want the USA to be protected at all, IMO.

[Account Deleted]

((Clyburn: I’m Not Optimistic Disapproval Resolution on Emergency Declaration Passes Senate – ‘Great Possibility’ House Sues))

Clyburn was one of the liars from the Kill the Bill rally.

Before Jussie Smollett there was James Clyburn, Emanuel Cleaver, John Lewis, & Andre Carson.

[Jane]

TM, I had no idea that was SOP in NY. Very interesting. Thanks!

[henry]

I wholly endorse this TM tweet:

Key Takeaways from @nytimes
1- Gun control laws don't work so well when they aren't enforced;
2- A guy who will shoot up cops and coworkers will be probably be lax about obeying other laws.
This is breakthrough stuff.

[Jim Eagle]

Tell me who he is and you win tickets to the Caps game.

Only if i can afford them, of course.

[Narciso79]

I think my minefield and trip were explains the process he is going through, he thought removing Comey would probably not shut down the witchhunt, I don't think he knew about
Rosenstein's role in the fisa snooping

[Narciso79]

Tripwire, but the Mueller trump meet up was indeed a sizing up.

[Manuel Transmission]

NEWS FROM THE YEAR 2050
 
Ozone created by electric cars now killing millions in the seventh largest Country in the world, Mexifornia, formerly known as California. 

White minorities still trying to have English
recognized as the third language. 

Spotted Owl plague threatens Northwestern United States crops and livestock. 

Couple petitions court to reinstate heterosexual marriage.  
 
France pleads for global help after being taken over by Jamaica. No other country comes forward to help the beleaguered nation.

Last Castro finally dies at age 112; Cuban cigars can now be imported legally, 
but President Alexandria Cortez has banned all smoking. 

Postal Service raises price of first class stamp to $17.89 and reduces mail delivery to Wednesdays only. 

Average weight of Americans drops to 275 lbs. 
 
85-year $75.8 billion study: Diet and exercise is the key to weight loss. 

Global cooling blamed for citrus crop failure for third consecutive year in Mexifornia and Floruba. 
 
Abortion clinics now available in every High School in United States.

Gas is selling for 4532 Pesos per liter and gas stations are only open on Tuesdays and Fridays. 
 
Massachusetts executes last remaining conservative. 

Average height of NBA players is now nine feet seven inches and they average only 9 illegitimate children. 

New federal law requires that all nail clippers, screwdrivers, fly swatters and rolled-up newspapers must be registered by January 2080. 

IRS sets lowest tax rate at 75 percent. 

Floruba voters still having trouble with voting machines.  

[Narciso79]

Jake lamotta he looks like a boxer although I cant tell what tool hes holding.

[MissMarple2]

Jack,

Bobby Ohr?

[Another Bob]

That would be Terry Sawchuk JIB.

[JimNorCal]

Someone is missing, or more accurately a category of people is missing.

[Another Bob]

But not an authentic photo of his face. Makeup simulating the pucks to the face he took as a goaltender in the pre-mask era.

[Narciso79]

How did Richard Pryor put it 'where the women at?"

[MissMarple2]

Here is a picture of the President and First Lady that the MSM won't show. I think it's nice.

You can avoid it if you aren't interested.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DzeMbSAUUAEbxSn.jpg

[Jim Eagle]

MM,

Not even close. Think hockey before helmets and face masks.

[Narciso79]

Why is restraining order twice, why Is mcawful included at all?

[Another Bob]

Narc, that was Cleavon Little.

“Where all the white wimmin at??”

[Jim Eagle]

narc,

That is because they didn't play ice hockey in Cuba.

[Account Deleted]

I apologize for posting off-topic old stuff so often....but I can't help myself.

This is an interesting post from last year about Mueller's indictments of 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities for alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election....especially considering how Dems are fighting tooth & nail for foreigners today.

----------------------------
via Instapundit - "DA TECH GUY: Reading the Mueller indictment. Where’s the beef?"

"Section 1 and section 24 notes that it’s against US law for “certain foreign nationals” to enter the US without a visa providing truthful and accurate information to the government. Apparently these laws don’t apply to dreamers and those who brought them."...

"section 41 talks about identity theft including social security numbers, again this could be a charge against the DACA kids."...

"Oh my God section 44 accuses them of using HASHTAGS ON TWITTER and section 45 says other people unknowingly retweeted some of their stuff"...

"Section 58 notes these guys started deleting emails to avoid investigations and did so as far back as 2014 and 2015. I wonder what Hillary might say about that? Maybe they were all about Yoga."...

"Section 85 completes the list, the illegality here is that they pretended to be americans and didn’t register as foreign agents while doing activities that if done by Americans would be completely legal? Does that mean that DACA folks and illegals who have held political rallies will be indicted next?"...

http://datechguyblog.com/2018/02/16/datechguy-reads-the-mueller-indictment-some-fun-facts-expect-updates/?fbclid=IwAR1bVEocMmHoGecDhtYSkd5Cl4FEd_DTEp-EVhPO0FuJrV8sTwjsygJ2Zd4

[henry]

Narciso, you are missing a qualifier

[Narciso79]

Well that would exclude Kamalah and of course red squaw, I grew up in Jersey but I wasnt a big hockey fan then?

[Extraneus]

Are you thinking of the white women, narc? That was Clevon, although now that I think of it, it's a ridiculous idea to try to cortect you on such a thing.

[Extraneus]

Ooops, should have refreshed before wasting those seconds.

[Jim Eagle]

Another Bob,

Think so? No. Truly a undoctored photo. So, who is it?

[Another Bob]

Know so. Read two posts up from the one you’re referencing.

[Another Bob]

Well OK, the photo is authentic, the look of the face isn’t.

[MissMarple2]

Jack,\\That's the only hockey player I know, other than Mike Eurissone (or however you spell it). LOL!

Also, found out about Heather Nauert:

Jennifer Jacobs
‏Verified account @JenniferJJacobs

NEWS: Heather Nauert's nomination began to falter after the White House was alerted that a problem had cropped up in her background check —Trump’s pick for UN ambassador had employed a nanny who was in US legally but didn’t have a US work permit, sources tell me and @nwadhams.

[rich]

>>>I've forgotten where the other HQ was going.
That would be a lot of new jobs for most metro areas to support without a huge mess. Traffic/housing/schools.

Posted by: Ralph L | February 16, 2019 at 07:02 PM<<<

arlington va. they just shift hat they were planning in nyc to va. iirc they are building one of the biggest data centers down the road in ashburn anyways.

you used to live out this way iirc.

[Jim Eagle]

Sorry, Another Bob, but I see nothing that tells me who you know who it is, and you are wrong. The photo is actual without any touchup. You can believe it or not.

[Jim Eagle]

Okay, I have to go to bed and will let all the Hockey fans out here figure it out. But if you are true hockey fans from the 70's through 90's you will recognize the photo of one of hockey's greatest goalies.

[Another Bob]

Oh please JIB.

Terry Sawchuk. As per my 8:05.

http://time.com/3878486/terry-sawchuk-a-face-only-a-hockey-puck-could-love/

[Another Bob]

And I posted Sawchuk before doing the search that turned up the time.com link.

[Jim Eagle]

Sorry, ABoB. my bad, never saw your 8:05.

Have a great night. I am in bed.

Tough to be wrong, but I can deal with it. Slaap lekker, tot morgen.

[MissMarple2]

Today in 1972, Wilt Chamberlain scores his 30,000th career point then marks the occasion by dressing like Prince at least five years before anyone had ever heard of Prince. pic.twitter.com/bfbaAHpHeB

— Super 70s Sports (@Super70sSports) February 17, 2019

Photo at link. Hahaha!

[Catsmeat]

I'm sorry about Pat Caddell--he turned honest in his later years and was of some use to the republic.

[MissMarple2]

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-02-16/bolton-urges-haiti-protect-democracy-unfolding-chaos-related-us-coup-efforts

US citizens ordered out of the country.

[JimNorCal]

Wait, wait JiB. Where are the free tickets for ABob lol

[Jane]

Fab! ManTran

[sbwaters]

Gump Worsley?

[sbwaters]

Oops! Late to the game. Nevermind.

Coulda been Gump.

[MissMarple2]

Montage of mainstream media spreading fake news that #JussieSmollett was attacked by white men in MAGA hats. pic.twitter.com/1RV7YFtIQt

— Mark Dice (@MarkDice) February 17, 2019

Video at link. Notice how so many repeat the same phrases - almost like they had received talking points.

[daddy]

Good Morning.

Did catch-up on the way home from Memphis last night and saw a few posts from you guys hammering "The New Math." It reminded me of that old short story of Isaac Asimov's about some dweeb in a future computer driven world who figures out how to do math with pencil and paper. Not Asimov's best in the writing, but the idea is one of his better ones, and only about a 5 to 10 minute read: The Feeling Of Power

It's also surprising how many articles there are on this 1958 story. It obviously rang a bell:)

[Narciso79]

Wonder if julian public relations is involved

So Netflix bought the Cortez hagio...documentary for 10 million.

[JimNorCal]

Janet 8:10, great article. Time for a pro-American Repub to run on a "Two Americas" theme.
Such blatant unlawfulness.

[Narciso79]

Sounds like that trek episode about the computer war, but from my brief observation rotten core Is criminal malpractice it's like writing bad code directly into the operating system.

[MissMarple2]

Worth clicking to the photo to get the dog story. It's cute!

pic.twitter.com/A23s6xyhv9

— Dog-Emperor Shep (@PunishedSheppie) February 16, 2019

[Narciso79]

So they raise the fees and this is where it goes

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-documentary-netflix-knock-the-house-price-aoc-a8769156.html?amp&utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter&__twitter_impression=true&fbclid=IwAR2SidAiDdxG-wHwCpwP4VaOhOiLGbBDmfivf1CWaiT59zQq7fVXwYuaQ3A

[MissMarple2]

Snow and ice coming in the early morning. They have sent the road crews out to pre-treat the streets.

I hate winter.

[jimmyk]

RIP Pat Caddell. He was the rare honest Dem, to the point where he seemed to have come over to our side. And he always seemed on the verge of exploding in righteous anger.

A quote from him on Trump's election: “Americans have decided to seize back their sovereignty,” Caddell said. “They are not going to be manipulated by their betters.”

[Narciso79]

I didnt know the truth of the story:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6706909/Last-survivor-Great-Escape-dies-aged-99.html?fbclid=IwAR01CJXeJHZ_aek6TpBhTTakW7XLxOCvjK_RVA7hfojY_PwCJWPOFYLzblU

[rich]

already making a movie about her ... good grief.

guess she'll be eligible in 2025 ... so we'll be safe until 2028.

ya!

[rich]

sad news about Caddell.

the paste-eater-in-chief was also in germany to call the us an embarrassment. wonder what his role in the coup was ... our queered policy with ukraine was his wheelhouse.

[Narciso79]

I would suggest a stronger cognate,

Caddell was the pollster for McGovern short of his 22nd birthday, a Florida kid btw of harvard

[jimmyk]

Has this been discussed?

Andrew McCarthy, "Ball of Collusion"

The real collusion in the 2016 election was not between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. It was between the Clinton campaign and the Obama administration. The law-enforcement and intelligence arms of government were placed in the service of the Democratic presidential bid and, failing that, were deployed against the incoming Republican administration, with the goal of strangling it in the cradle.

A hardcover book coming out in March. It was linked in one of the articles linked in the last thread. I know McCarthy has been pretty unreliable, but maybe he's finally figured out who the bad guys really are? Though if he's true to form, he'll probably manage to slip in some digs at Trump.

[Narciso79]

Thinking on the press conference and the whole good emperor routine I was hoping for some sentinels to be unleashed.

[Jane]

Jimmy, Caddell was a Trump guy, which I didn't know till now.

[Captain Hate]

A quote from him on Trump's election: “Americans have decided to seize back their sovereignty,” Caddell said. “They are not going to be manipulated by their betters.”

He was exactly right. We refuse to be ruled.

rich, I made three trips to Santa Adairius Rustic Ales while I was in Santa Cruz; once to the original Capitola brewery and the other two to the Santa Cruz portal, the first with KK. The last time, my last full day there on Monday, I met up with a couple Beer Advocate guys; one from Nebraska by design and another local guy who'd arranged with the Nebraska guy to meet up and, by coincidence I'd talked with at the Capitola joint the week before. It was a fun time at a *superb* brewery.

No beer tonight since I'm still recovering from a cold the Hater Tot inflicted on me that made the red eye I came back on sheer hell.

[Comanche Voter]

I'm sorry but union officials and city zoning and permitting agencies are nothing more than effing pests. In Mafioso terms they all want to "get their beak wet".

I spent 15 years or so of my legal career writing construction contracts for capital construction in oil refineries in the Los Angeles basin. Union officials would file environmental challenges to whatever we wanted to do. So you negotiated a project labor agreement with them, guaranteeing a certain percentage of the job to "union labor'. And the environmental challenges magically went away.

Okay--it doesn't feel good (in fact it feels like extortion ) but that's the price of doing business. And I wrote a lot of those project labor agreements for my client.

I think Amazon looked at union officials and city officials in New York City--all waiting to get their beaks wet--and said, "piss on this". Good for Amazon.