3 ms·

I cant see why hq2 location cannot be based on bidding. Tax breaks are part of negotiation. Math is clear.

sp332 8y ago
Well the laws should be applied equally to everyone, including tax laws. That's a pretty simple principle. If you're going to make an exception, you need to reassure people that rule of law is still a thing and you're not just letting a company buy a different set of laws for themselves, which is kinda what this looks like.
- thoughtstheseus 8y ago
  Yeah, hopefully the next time an $800B company developing cutting edge software/tech wants to locate in an economically stressed area stakeholders do better job reassuring people the rule of law still applies.
- tehlike 8y ago
  I get the rule of law aspect, but law leaves room for negotiation for this, otherwise someone woyld have sued the city, no?
- icelancer 8y ago
  > Well the laws should be applied equally to everyone, including tax laws. Do you feel this way about all laws, including drug laws regarding possession and mandatory minimums?
endorphone 8y ago
The math isn't clear at all. Amazon is putting countless other businesses, who employ countless hundreds of thousands, out of business. That's just the nature of capitalism and efficiency, but when they demand special treatment to do so..that's just perverse.
- tehlike 8y ago
  For centuries businesses come and go. I am sure at every level of government incentives happen. Tax break is an incentive. Other businesses could get expedited approvals or permits, some might get licenses etc. Part of american way of doing business, really.
  - endorphone 8y ago
    I was replying specifically to the meaningless statement that "Math is clear". Replying that the math is unclear doesn't really clarify it or demonstrate your point. The economy has economic activity. That activity is taxed at various levels. When a leader, taking a huge slice of the activity, demands special treatment to take even more of the economic pie, the math is clearly bad.

Well the laws should be applied equally to everyone, including tax laws. That's a pretty simple principle. If you're going to make an exception, you need to reassure people that rule of law is still a thing and you're not just letting a company buy a different set of laws for themselves, which is kinda what this looks like.

thoughtstheseus 8y ago
Yeah, hopefully the next time an $800B company developing cutting edge software/tech wants to locate in an economically stressed area stakeholders do better job reassuring people the rule of law still applies.
tehlike 8y ago
I get the rule of law aspect, but law leaves room for negotiation for this, otherwise someone woyld have sued the city, no?
icelancer 8y ago
> Well the laws should be applied equally to everyone, including tax laws. Do you feel this way about all laws, including drug laws regarding possession and mandatory minimums?

endorphone 8y ago

The math isn't clear at all. Amazon is putting countless other businesses, who employ countless hundreds of thousands, out of business. That's just the nature of capitalism and efficiency, but when they demand special treatment to do so..that's just perverse.

tehlike 8y ago
For centuries businesses come and go. I am sure at every level of government incentives happen. Tax break is an incentive. Other businesses could get expedited approvals or permits, some might get licenses etc. Part of american way of doing business, really.
- endorphone 8y ago
  I was replying specifically to the meaningless statement that "Math is clear". Replying that the math is unclear doesn't really clarify it or demonstrate your point. The economy has economic activity. That activity is taxed at various levels. When a leader, taking a huge slice of the activity, demands special treatment to take even more of the economic pie, the math is clearly bad.