via Amazon
Feb. 8, 2019 By Nathaly Pesantez
Amazon is reconsidering its plan to locate one of its new headquarters in Long Island City due to the heavy opposition the project has faced locally, especially by politicians, according to a report published today by the Washington Post.
The paper cited “two people familiar with the company’s thinking,” in its report, and said Amazon executives have recently had internal discussions to reassess its choice to locate to New York City and explore alternatives.
“The question is whether it’s worth it if the politicians in New York don’t want the project, especially with how people in Virginia and Nashville have been so welcoming,” one of the sources told the Post.
Amazon, in its November HQ2 announcement, had decided to split its planned second headquarters between two locations—one in Long Island City and the other in Virginia—and open an operations center in Nashville.
The Washington Post, owned by Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, noted that the tech giant has not leased or purchased office space for the project in New York City, thus making it easy for the company to pull out.
The company is anticipated to begin building out its campus at Anable Basin in 2020 after receiving state approvals, and plans to occupy 1 million square feet of office space at One Court Square in 2019 in the interim.
Savanna, which owns the 53-story building once anchored by Citi, confirmed on the day of the November HQ2 announcement that Amazon had entered into a letter of intent to lease the office space.
It is unclear if the letter of intent is binding. Savanna declined to comment on the nature of the agreement.
For its Anable Basin campus, Amazon signed a memorandum of understanding with the state and city. Administration and Amazon officials, however, have repeatedly spoken to the company’s commitment in building out the project and bringing 25,000 jobs to the area, especially in the first two City Council oversight hearings on the plan.
But vocal opposition to the deal has remained steady, starting even days before the official HQ2 announcement, and forcing Amazon to launch its own campaign to bolster public support for the project.
State Sen. Mike Gianaris, who represents the area where Amazon is locating its headquarters to, has emerged as one of the central critics of the plan. Just days ago, Gianaris was picked to serve on the Public Authorities Control Board, a state body that will review the Amazon project. Gianaris, with a single veto vote, could topple the plan as it stands.
His appointment, however, must be approved by Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has strongly advocated for the project and the benefits it would bring to the state.
The Washington Post added that no specific plans to drop the HQ2 project in New York have been made, and that the company may be threatening to withdraw to put pressure on New York officials.
In a statement, an Amazon spokeswoman said, “We’re focused on engaging with our new neighbors—small business owners, educators, and community leaders.”
She added: “Whether it’s building a pipeline of local jobs through workforce training or funding computer science classes for thousands of New York City students, we are working hard to demonstrate what kind of neighbor we will be.”
The Post’s report comes after the release of an Amazon-funded poll that found, like the Quinnipiac University poll two months before it, strong support citywide, and especially in Queens, for the project.
Cuomo, in an unrelated press conference today, spoke to the Washington Post’s story.
“We have to make Amazon a reality,” he said, according to CNBC, adding, ”For the state Senate to oppose Amazon was governmental malpractice. And if they stop Amazon from coming to New York, they’re going to have the people of New York state to explain it to.”
In a follow-up article, the New York Times cited two people “with direct knowledge of the company’s thinking” who said the Washington Post story had gone too far and that Amazon was not planning on dropping its plans.
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235 Comments
well we here in VA are VERY EXCITED about Amazon coming and the area is already surging prior to opening. We know a good thing when we see it!! Thanks Amazon.
Uh-huh. I’m sure LIC Post has a lot of readers in Virginia and you’re not just another bitter developer astro-turfing from Manhattan.
But just in case you are telling the truth, my condolences to all the students whose funding you had to steal to pay Amazon’s bribe.
https://www.change.org/p/join-council-member-van-bramer-senator-gianaris-nohq2-in-lic
And another gem from the New Republic article: “Amazon signed a deal with Virginia that would grant the company generous tax breaks and incentives—and would require the state to give a “heads up” to the company if anyone submitted Freedom of Information Act requests about the company.”
Do we really need this in LIC?
A snippet from a recent piece in The New Republic about Amazon’s tactics in Seattle: “Last fall, Amazon recently halted construction of new buildings there—and threatened to leave the city altogether—in protest of a new tax on large companies to fund affordable housing. ”
Lovely.
Play nice now; hold us hostage later. It’s always the play. The mask comes off as soon as the ink is dry.
Wow a corporation not wanting to fund what the local citizenry have made clear they will not fund. How dare those corporate swine. It sucks for the give them free stuff crowd when they run out of other people’s money.
Amazon campus is NOT coming to LIC. Now with over 57 liberal progressive organizations joining the opposition, even Cuomo and DeBlasio’s positions are looking shaky. There is now a lot of frenzy in Queens with activist groups knocking on doors and campaigning against the deal on the streets. Even if Amazon and the Queens real estate bros manage to pull of a major PR stunt, the campus deal will be tied up legal battles forever. What a mess!
Don’t be so sure……it ain’t over until it’s over and then sometimes it’s not even over!
If opposing Governor Cuomo is “governmental malpractice,’ then what was delaying the announcement until days after his election? Is that timing one of the few things he successfully negotiated? Once he caved to the demand for secret negotiations there was no going back and it’s likely that his understanding of that informed the timing of the announcement.
If only it were that easy to get rid of Snowflake. Amazon wins when someone loses. That’s how they operate. If you don’t know who the sucker is..
Say No To Amazon And Landlords/property owners that seeing instant $$ …
Say Yes to working class of Queens!! click here
https://www.change.org/p/join-council-member-van-bramer-senator-gianaris-nohq2-in-lic
Yeah! Say no to progress! Say no to jobs! Say no to recurring tax revenue!!! Rabble, rabble, rabble, rabble
Spare me. That site will get developed in no time by another developer hungry to strike it rich in the fastest-growing neighborhood in NYC. And we won’t have to pay them $325 million in cash and nearly $50,000 per job created for the honor of their presence. Next.
Yes, surely in no time. The site has been lying in disrepair for years! And now when big bad Amazon wants to come in and develop a world class tech facility and provide jobs and technical training to our children in our schools, you and your ilk turn up your noses?? Spare ME your righteous indignation. This is for the greater good of LIC NOW. Why wait for something better to come along? Spoiler alert….it wont
Whenever developers and their clients start waving around the benefits to “children in our schools” to justify ramming through their ill-considered money grab of a project, you know they are on shaky ground. Give it up, Hopeless. Your desperate arguments are sounding too much like your screen name.
When you’re on the side of brokers and landlords (the parasites sucking this city dry) you’re on the wrong side.
Barclays Center was supposed to be a boon for Brooklyn. Now that the locals have been pushed out to turn Atlantic Yards into a tacky shopping mall, Barclays is still hemorrhaging money. Amazon is a slow-motion death sentence for west Queens.
There is no law against resigning, if u don’t like ur position! Cry babies..boo hoo ho
I can not imagine when Google announced that they will open a campus in Manhattan, all the people in Chelsea area signing stupid petitions to stop Google coming to their neighborhood. But in LIC, we have unique minds.
What do you get in return if Amazon doesn’t come to LIC? What is your counter argument to people saying 25000 jobs, recurring tax revenue, computer science trainings around the neighborhood for our children, other technology firms coming, supporting millions of dollars for infrastructure, new school, new parks etc…
Do you understand that a lot of good firms are already running away from NYC? A lot of my colleagues who used to do programming in NYC now works in Texas Austin.
You are a nay sayer and you have no alternative plan. No to Amazon, no to X, no to Y, no to Z. Just be quiet for once.
Well Said!
Here you go:
https://ny.curbed.com/2017/11/14/16652104/long-island-city-anable-basin-rezoning-affordable-housing
That’s because Google is expanding its already established presence in a densely developed commercial district of Chelsea, and not shaking down the city and state to fast-track its feathered nest in LIC. That’s why.
Wild how Google moving to Manhattan never resulted in “millions of dollars for infrastructure, new school, new parks etc…” but Amazon in Queens definitely will. Trains are still rotting. Schools are still overcrowded. Housing is still lacking.
I know trickle-down economics has never worked before, but I got a good feeling THIS billionaire welfare is gonna be different!!
After all, Amazon would definitely never lie to serve themselves. Especially given its reputation as such an upstanding and ethical company as long as you don’t count the union busting, labor abuses, or tax cheating.
Google is staying in Manhattan. NYC and NYS do not offer benefits to expand in Manhattan. Benefits are available to any company moving out of Manhattan (below 96th and above Canal) with other requirements to qualify, to the boroughs at the rate of $3000 per employee per year for 12 years. It’s called REAP…Relocation Employee Assistance Program. Many large and small companies take advantage of it. There are many other as of right benefits….ICAP, sales tax waivers on construction, CEP. Any company who qualifies gets these. Why shouldn’t Amazon?
Unfortunately many people are not aware that these tax incentives existed before Amazon for any company.
Jay I literally mentioned those tax incentives–and how they always backfire–in the post you’re responding to. Try to keep up.
Are you people talking about the same LIC as me? From the tales of woe you are spinning at Amazon possibly not coming here, you’d think this place was some slum on its last legs and not the flourishing dynamic neighborhood it is. This makes me think that a vast majority of the comments here are either coming from Amazon itself, construction union heads with $$$ signs in their eyes, or the Plaxall family and site owners who were ready to cash in on this sucky deal. So relax, we’re doing fine, LIC — Amazon or not.
Another conspiracy theorist! Maybe aliens are posting the comments in favor of Amazon instead of actual people that don’t want to lose 25,000 jobs.
Maybe you do P.R. for Amazon. If not, why not say anything to refute any of the concerns of people who are not so gung ho.
You need to get a job and move out of your mother’s basement. Join the real world! Jobs & Tax revenue help pay for the generous programs that NYC offers to many.
I agree. Whether they come or not, it doesn’t matter. However, all the folks advocating for Amazon should look into the company a little more closely. It is a ruthless organization that does not treat employees very well. Just like most of Silicon Valley. And why do people automatically equate the jobs as “30,000 high-paying jobs?” Amazon lies like a rug and even their own spokesman admitted that $100K plus will be the ‘median’ salary. When you factor in all the H1B visa hires and Seattle transplants, how many net new jobs will be available for locals? Much less than 30,000 I’d say. After they build out the site, it will magically turn into 5,000 jobs and an excuse that the other 25,000 will come from ancillary sources and surrounding businesses that benefit from Amazon’s “economic impact.” LIC will do just fine with or without Amazon.
There will not be 25,000 jobs paying $150,000 or more–maybe a thousand. Do your research
Okay listen up. People are complaining about the tax benefits. It is simple math:
25,000 jobs with a median salary of $150.000 with an approximate state tax rate of 8% will bring roughly $300M a year income tax and with a city tax rate of 3% will bring roughly $112M a year. That is almost $412M tax money to NY State and city. I am not even counting sales tax, registration fees etc…
Please, stop talking about the tax incentives as it will pay itself of in less than 5 years. Plus it is PERFORMANCE BASED. The more jobs they create, the more incentive they will get and eventually the incentives will be over and they will pay normal tax just like the rest of the firms.
Imagine all the other tech firms following Amazon’s footsteps, suppliers, maybe start ups will follow. Lastly, think about all the small businesses. This will impact not only 25000 tech employees but restaurants, nail saloons, construction workers, dry cleaners. Everyone will benefit.
Have a vision and see the big picture.
If Amazon promised most of those jobs to the residents in the area, Amazon wouldn’t have the resistance they have. Buying your lunch from local stores or restaurants is not going to help me provide food ,clothing or shelter for my family. Only a guaranteed paycheck.
Most of the jobs will actually be minimum wage jobs. Get your information from a more reliable source than a p.r. flak.
This guy ☝️ “Anonymous” is a headline reader that lives in his mama’s basement!
mama?
https://www.change.org/p/long-island-city-small-businesses-collect-signatures-in-support-of-amazon-hq2-in-long-island-city
How do we know the signatures are from real people?
I entered
First Name: Greedy Last Name: Landlord
and the form accepted it.
The overly dramatic comments about Amazon’s possible pullout are exhausting to read. Life marches on, folks. Some developer who will put up their own money and not expect a multibillion-dollar handout will certainly build a more suitable project in keeping with the neighborhood on the site. And the phony 25,000 “new jobs” promise will be supplanted by other economic activity. Save your tears and gnashing of teeth for something more worthwhile.
I love being an AMAZON Prime customer, born in NYC, & reside in Sunnyside. Take a good look, smart people won’t be coming so FAST!!! IT HAS BECOM SOCIALIZED, RACIST AND MEAN…WE’Re NotWelcoming at all. I guess they will be running the new CHIC-FA-LAY RESTAURANT IN NYC THAT JUST OPENED!!!
Again, if you are FOR AMAZON in LIC like so many residents are, please sight the petition. Post it to social media. Forward it to others. Send a message to our elected officials. Already ~2500 signatures in under a week.
https://www.change.org/p/long-island-city-small-businesses-collect-signatures-in-support-of-amazon-hq2-in-long-island-city
Done and done
Since Bezos announced in his paper, the Washington Post, that he may pick up his marbles if he doesn’t not only get his own way, but have the other players make nice to him as well, presumably the imperial baby style is his standard business practice. New York does not need a powerful bully.
Notice that most of these comments are in the same voice, addressing the single issue of jobs and geared as attacks on two elected officials? No comments defend against criticisms of backroom dealing, ICE assistance, anti-union business practice and destroying small businesses. It seems this comments board is being manipulated by Amazon p.r. employees.
Notice how this commenter keeps posting under “Anonymous”. 25,000 jobs are a very big deal! Why is it difficult to believe that people would be upset about loosing that many jobs.
Ummmm I’m another anonymous poster, there’s not just one.
Is it difficult for you to realize that there are multiple issues? If not, try responding to those comments for a change.
Count the comments. Point made.
It’s fewer tax breaks, not less, and JVB is term-limited out of City Council. He thinks he will be voted-in as Queens’ next Boro President.
It is so dumb to go I’ve away such huge opportunity. If Amazon backs out, other businesses won’t want to deal with LIC. Smart people grab such opportunity and resolve challenges
Baloney. There’s no support for the overblown fear that businesses will shy away from LIC. The area has been bursting with new commercial development in recent years with no end in sight, especially near Court Square and Queens Plaza. And we didn’t need to hand over billions of dollars to get them here.
Performance Based Tax Incentives!!!!! Business 101. Please educate yourself!!!
If you stuck with it into Business 201 you’d learn that they always backfire and lead to budget deficits and even more spending cuts.
Kind of like where the city is now after decades of tax handouts.
25,000 Jobs would have created MUCH NEEDED tax revenue for the city.
5,000 Union Jobs for Amazon security, maintenance and development would have employed many people without degrees.
Our politicians Jimmy Van Bramer and Mike Gianaris chased Amazon away WITHOUT EVEN TRYING TO NEGOTIATE A BETTER DEAL. Please remember this day the next time you vote.
3 billion dollars is a lot of tax revenue for the city. The number of years for NYC to accrue those taxes back from Amazon will not be seen in your lifetime, probably not even your kids’ lifetime. Also, this whole article from WaPo is just hot air to get everyone up in a fuss about it. It’s BS – Bezos wants to live here in his multi million dollar apartment and fly his helicopter to work every day – if Cuomo gives him the OK he cares not that the people of NYC hate the fact that he got all of our tax money to be here.
How many times does this have to be explained! The tax breaks are performance based that will happen over time. Please look up the definition of “Performance Based Tax Incentives”. These tax incentives existed long before Amazon for ANY company (big or small) that wants to invest and hire in the outer boroughs. I can’t believe how many people are misinformed.
This is what happens when you have an incompetent politician like Gianaris. He didn’t even try to get a better deal. He could have asked more from Amazon or decrease the tax breaks!
NO NEGOTIATIONS
NO 25,0000
Congratulations Gianaris!
i have no dog in this fight, but clearly any sort of job creation for the community threatens JVB and Mike Gianaris’ brand of populist politics.
Keep your constituents down, unemployed, angry, keep their jobs.
i totally agree. please amazon come to philly!!!
What is wrong with our elected politicians? They see jobs and growth as bad and welfare and subsidies as good. They advocate the shakedown of the taxpayer who earns a living in favor of the takers that contribute nothing and demand everything. They run under the guise of righteousness while exploiting all including the poorest NYers whom they manipulate and trick. They back the criminals while throwing the police under the bus with such regularity it’s expected. They take credit when it’s not due, dodge responsibility for their actions, and blame others because they know they can’t get anything done. They stoke division whether it be by class, race, or political affiliation then go into full attack mode when challenged with facts. Wt……! Forget trump we need to do some impeaching on the local level.
The state senator’s main argument is that 3 billion to amazon vs 5 million to improve subway system. This is purely political! First of all, 3 billion would not just be given to Amazon, they get the benefit when they create jobs in NYC! With 25K $150K jobs created, government will receive more taxes! If they are ever willing to improve the subway system, they will be able to. More importantly, why do I say this is purely political? It’s because even if they don’t agree to give out 3 billion, they won’t spend 5 million on subway system. So people, we will have no amazon and get stuck with the current shitty subway system. That’s the exact skills that Trump did when the advocated to be a president!
You must be work for one of those foreign land developers who are going to loose out big if Scamazon doesn’t come. Too bad!
You don’t help your argument when you don’t know how to spell “lose”. ?
So what? It doesn’t change the intent of the message
Mr. Grammar Nazi.
There will not be 25,000 jobs that make 150,000/year. There will probably be 10. The rest will be paid less, and less, and less than that. Even further — people who make that amount of money can’t afford to live in LIC, or anywhere close to where Amazon is, they’re not hiring locals to do their work. They’re bringing people in from out of state who want to live in NYC and Amazon is hiring. This is not creating jobs for NYers, only giving Bezos a thicker lining to his pockets, and we’d all suffer when our crumbling infrastructure can’t handle the influx of people to Queens. That 3 bill could go a LONG way to fixing things in NYC.
Well said.
To people who are worried about Amazon would not hire local NYers, close this freaking webpage, open a new tab, google how to prepare for amazon job interview. You are welcome.
They’re only looking for freebies. Some of these people think the $3 billion in tax breaks for Amazon is a big bag of cash that will magically go to them if Amazon goes elsewhere. These idiots still don’t understand “performance based tax incentives”.
Wow, those politicians would really listen to a bunch of activists and turn dune 25,000 jobs. That’s short sighted, stupid and they will pay dearly at at ballot box.
there was a time when the word democrat stood for jobs and working people. not anymore, now all far left kooks.
meanwhile Trump has the working mans back and thats how he got it in 2016. Democrats went far left when they needed to move to the center.
Trump gave the richest of the rich a huge tax break and cost 800,000 working men their jobs when the Trump Shutdown took them away for the longest time in our nation’s history.
But yeah, other than that the billionaire game show host that literally lives in a golden tower with his name on it has the working man’s back.
Trump stops people to get welfare benefits without working. Isn’t helpful for our welfare system? It’s the best respect for all the people who are working.
you’ll change your tune when you get your tax bill this year…!
Translation: “I don’t mind getting screwed as long as somebody else gets it worse.” ?
So the end result for Bramer and Gianaris was to force Amazon to go elsewhere? To not even try to get a better deal from Amazon and the 25,000 jobs is so foolish. I don’t understand how this is a win for the politicians or their constituents.
Good riddance. Ask Seattle what they think of having Amazon as a neighbor.
But I see a lot of people did zero homework and just blindly trusted the richest man in the world to mug us and somehow it’ll make everything better when none of us can afford to live here anymore.
Carrier took a tax subsidy to stay in Indiana and fired half their staff anyway. Foxconn took billions to create 5,000 jobs in Wisconsin and now they say it’ll be more like 500. These are non-binding agreements. And then you wonder why there’s never any money left for schools or roads.
I’ll be calling all anti-Amazon reps to thank them (again) on Monday.
They were not planning to hand Amazon a big bag of cash. The tax incentives were performance based. Amazon would of payed less taxes on state/city income. You sound very ignorant.
You didn’t see lots of talented people moving to Seattle because of Amazon??? It makes the city a better place.
Ask Bridgeport CT what they think after all their factories left. Ask anyone who lived in LIC 30 years ago when it was all prostitutes. Seattle and San Francisco are actually great places to live
Besides that many jobs with be lost. Engine 261 will not be re-opened. Restaurants that are struggling will close and new one’s won’t open as much and those services industry jobs will be lost as well. Great job. Let them move to another state and have that area’s residents enjoy the benifit’s.
I’ve lived in LIC for 11 years and also work in this neighborhood as well. I believe Amazon would be a great addition to the neighborhood. There is opportunity for many businesses and neighbors both small and large. This neighborhood has a lot going for it and would be disappointing if Amazon decided to leave due to a small, loud group. Amazon recently said last week that they wouldn’t take the tax subsidies, which would be great for taxpayers and LIC neighbors. Our streets are torn up due to current construction and will hopefully be routinely fixed. I fortunately don’t have to ride the subway on the daily and it does need fixing. Our political system with private MTA has been unable to throw down to fix it so maybe Amazon will! There are positives and negatives about any kind of change, but a part of being a NYer is being flexible with changes and resilience.
Don’t worry landlords. Some Google hipsters will still be willing to pay your crazy rents.
LIC renter here who wanted Amazon and the 25,000 jobs. I just don’t understand why these politicians didn’t try to negotiate a better deal?
@ Vernon Blvd Nice try Landlord.
Bezosnudepics Who is your landlord? NYCHA!
Ha!
They have 10+ YEARS to bring 25k jobs to NYC. NO GUARANTEE they will. Look at Foxconn in Wisconsin. It’s not just about the jobs here and you all know it. They should go to Jersey, still close enough to the NYC scene Bezos wants.
If Amazon brings less jobs they get less tax breaks. PERFORMANCE BASED TAX INCENTIVES
They have enough money not to care about whether they get the tax breaks or not. So you agree they’re not going to bring as many jobs then?
The LIC lifers don’t want any more people to move into their little personal kingdom. ?
LIC lifers know the area has been ruined for a while. It’s no longer a personal kingdom, but trying to maintain some quality of life is important. And It would be nice to not have property taxes go up because of this and that stupid BQX streetcar they’re trying to push.
To risk losing out on all the opportunities for jobs, growth, and progress is amazing. If Amazon ups and moves to Jersey it will serve us all right for electing theses ‘leaders’ who cause more harm then good.
no one is moving to jersey
Here’s a link to the change.org petition IN FAVOR of Amazon moving to LIC.
https://www.change.org/p/long-island-city-small-businesses-collect-signatures-in-support-of-amazon-hq2-in-long-island-city?cs_tk=Ank3JV0jy4oHIMrQYVwAAXicyyvNyQEABF8BvN7IQz3fHdxg_MD_CmKjnP0=&utm_campaign=380795dd05f94d909911803281a66879&utm_medium=email&utm_source=petition_signer_receipt&utm_term=cs
Most of you on here sound like racists. Its frightening. “Illegal aliens and their anchor babies?
Are you kidding me ? Almost no one in LIC now is even a born New Yorker. They are abunch of over privileged yuppies who want to be New yorkers so badly , theyll get rid of all opposition. Keep OG New Yorkers in NY. We make this city beat.
Please don’t call them racists, the P.C. term is “Trump supporter”
Has the definition of racist been changed to anyone of a different opinion who is also of a different ethnicity? Webster needs to update apparently.
25,000 Jobs would of fed a lot of families!
25,000 Jobs would of been amazing employment opportunities for kids coming out of NYC schools.
25,000 Jobs would of created much needed tax revenue for the city.
5,000 Union Jobs for Amazon security, maintenance and development would of employed many people without degrees.
Our politicians Jimmy Van Bramer and Mike Gianaris chased Amazon away WITHOUT EVEN TRYING TO NEGOTIATE A BETTER DEAL. Please remember this day the next time you vote.
Just a quick note: would have not would of. Aahh poor grammar.
As a democrat, I’ve seen my politicians go too far to the left on many issues but we ALWAYS came together for job opportunities. I don’t understand why Jimmy Van Bramer and Mike Gianaris didn’t try to negotiate a better deal for us instead of chasing them away? Why wasn’t that even an option? Why couldn’t we ask Amazon for additional schools or maybe give them less tax breaks? I am extremely disappointed how Bramer and Gianaris handled this situation. 25,000 jobs over the next 10 years could of been great employment for our children. This is very sad!
Nothing would make it worth it and Amazon would never honor any promise anyway.
Wow! 25,000 jobs wasn’t worth fighting for? Are you JVB from Sunnyside?
“From Sunnyside”, cynical much? ?
I pay attention so, yes, of course I’m cynical. You’d be insane (and gullible) not to be. Where has corporate welfare ever been a success story? Is there even one example where it didn’t blow up in the host city’s face?
Carrier in Indiana: Millions in tax breaks not to lay off workers and outsource; a year later they lay off most of their staff and outsource anyway. No penalty.
Foxconn in Wisconsin: Billions for 5,000 manufacturing jobs turn into 500 tech jobs. It will now take over a century for the “factory” to pay for itself. No penalty. (Unless you count Wisconsin voting out Gov. Walker for selling out his state.)
Hudson Yards development: No money for modernizing the trains or keeping fares down but plenty for a new station hardly anyone uses to a neighborhood of multi-million dollar condos.
World Trade Center station rebuild: 4 billion over budget? Where’d the money come from? Where’d it all go?
Seattle: Massive rents and soaring homelessness result in a city that hates Amazon so much they can’t grow anymore because of overwhelming public opposition so they have to open a 2nd (and 3rd) headquarters somewhere else. They hate the Starbucks idiot too.
Gianaris/Bramer gave away:
25,000 Amazon tech Jobs
5,000 Union Jobs plus thousands of additional service jobs.
Gianaris and Jimmy Van Bramer are F*&%ing Morons! The Washington Post just reported that facing opposition from local politicians, Amazon reconsiders NY Headquarters site!!! Amazon is looking for alternative sites. Considering the sorry state of our roads, the crappy quality of life, crumbling subways and the fiscal mess coming our way with DiBlasio announcing a $750 million shortfall and Guv Coumo announcing possible $4 train fare, legalizing Marijuana, taxing it, congestion pricing and the growing $2.3 billion dollar deficit you would think JVB, Gianaris would want Amazon to come to LIC. Amazon being kicked in the teeth, being confronted, opposed & criticized every step of the way, called in to hostile city council meetings, why would Amazon want to come to this Sh*t-hole city??? The city and state need Amazon more than ever now that Coumo announced that NY State has lost $2.3 Billion in revenue because of the trump tax plan and flight of families out of New York to non tax states such as Texas and Florida. Amazon ready to chuck the deal altogether. I bet they decide to move their new operations across the river to Newark, NJ still within the confines of the NY/NJ/CT Tri-State area. Our property taxes, sales taxes, health insurance, food prices all going up. We pay for all these social programs to appease freeloaders – have work brigades sweeping the streets in exchange for the free shelter and food – work is good, gives a sense of pride. The law abiding working class folks in LIC and Sunnyside are so screwed. Blame Jimmy Van Bramer, Gianaris and Corey Johnson and a host of others. We are so screwed — going back to the gloomy 1970’s NYC .
These politicians will be voted out if this fails. This Sunnyside resident won’t forget. Unbelievable
how a small group can throw ice water on such positive economic activity! Something like this is a negotiation. The tone of our politicians is one of ultimatum. Reminds me of fascists on the other end of the political spectrum. I am truly embarrassed I voted for them.
This Sunnyside resident will thank them. Good riddance to bad neighbors. Amazon is a blight on Seattle and will be the same in New York. If you want Bezos to rob you, leave the rest of us out of it.
“From Sunnyside” aka “Jimmy Van Bramer” please use your name while trying to justify throwing away 25,000 jobs
Imagine if you low-info voters cared about as much about schools (which are failing) or trains (which are crumbling) or housing (where there’s a critical shortage) as you do about jobs (which we have plenty of). And for the umpteenth time; the are not CREATED jobs, they are almost entirely RELOCATED jobs for out-of-toners. Locals get stiffed with nothing to show for it but higher rent.
And just this week deBlasio instructed city agencies to slash 750 million in spending because of a budget shortage. But we have 3 billion to throw away so the richest man alive can helicopter to work, no problem! Incredible.
I don’t care what your name is. I know what you are. All shady landlords and brokers are the same; the only people who’ll benefit from selling the city out.
Best comment here. The only person who understands what is going on.
“From Sunnyside” I bet you were also against the Skillman protected bike lanes.
Nice try Jimmy Van Bramer! Change the topic so you can somehow justify chasing away 25,000 jobs, 5,000 Union jobs and all the service jobs that would have came along with it. Excellent Work!
You’d lose that bet, Native New Yorker. But I’d bet a my tax return (if I even get money back this year) that when they catch the guy booby trapping the bike lanes, he’ll turn out to be on team Amazon because it’s not hard to imagine the same people who think bike lanes ruin neighborhoods are also naive enough to think Amazon is good for them.
“I know handing over the treasury to billionaires has never translated to better schools, infrastructure and housing before but I got a good feeling THIS TIME’S going to be different!”
25000 jobs lost? Not so simple. Lost to whom? Amazon high tech jobs will not be awarded to people already living in Queens or even NYC. Amazon will hire out-of-state and foreign visa workers. That means housing rents will skyrocket for Current Queens/LIC residents some of whom will be driven to homelessness, at the expense of the influx of people from outside NYC.
Regardless from where they come the 25,000 will be paying Ney York State and City income taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, auto licenses etc. etc. Mo people mo people mo money.
I don’t get it! Gianaris & JVB didn’t try to renegotiate better terms? Less tax breaks for Amazon or more community facilities (schools,training centers, parks) for us??? They just declined 25,000 jobs without even trying to get the best deal for its residents. What kind of crap deal is this?
How could they? Cuomo and deBlasio negotiated the deal in secret without them or anyone else. Gianaris and Van Bramer were denied a seat at the table. You’re mad at the wrong people.
The point is simple, the city and state government want to put over 2 billion dollars toward developing a sore area of LIC with commercial space anchored by Amazon. The money is largely to improve infrastructure, build schools, etc. (because amazon doesn’t get the benefits if they don’t) and LIC is opposing. Are you people on crack? We’re literally getting everyone else’s money to improve our neighborhood.
Those complaining of congestion are backwards. Most will reverse commute and actually reduce congestion. Also 25,000 jobs wouldn’t even qualify Amazon as a top 20 employer in NYC. It’s not that many people. More people go to yankee game at noon on a Wednesday. In fact, if Amazon doesn’t come a different developer will receive a large portion of these funds anyway to build another residential high rise that will create more congestion going into Manhattan.
JVB needs to stop pandering to the political left and make the right decision here.
Totally agree. MG and JVB are just being politicians as usual only looking out for themselves and not the long term benefit of the neighborhood. For those who oppose Amazon coming to LIC – do you even know why? It seems like most people don’t even understand how the tax benefits to Amazon will work yet they are protesting based upon what little and usually inaccurate information they hear from other people who also have no idea what they are talking about. To be absolutely clear, Amazon in LIC will be a significant catalyst to move the neighborhood and surrounding areas forward in terms of economy, infrastructure and education. To deny this based on word of mouth from people who have no idea what they are talking about (AOC being a prime example) is exceptionally illogical, especially since the proposed development will ultimately benefit most of those protesters. Look at what happened with Brexit – most of the voters there had no clue why they were supporting it (and most had no idea what Brexit really meant) – it was just the “cool thing to do”. Now look at Britain – their economy is going downhill rapidly. Real estate prices are dropping. Companies cannot get out of there fast enough. Why did this happen? Because some people got together and convinced people who didn’t know any better to do something stupid. And now everyone regrets it. Hopefully JVB, MG, AOC and others are smart enough to back off and not let a Brexit-style disaster happen to LIC. People need to stop shooting themselves in the foot.
Very funny that this guy doesn’t realize the Brexit side would absolutely be on Amazon’s side were this happening in England and the UK’s progressives who oppose Brexit would oppose Amazon as well.
Gianaris what happened to you? You used to be a moderate Democrat that represented the majority of Queens residents and now you became part of extreme left that only represents the minority of democrats. You just lost 25,000 jobs for Queens and New Yorkers. You didn’t even bother negotiating better terms??? How does this benefit anyone?????
How was he supposed to negotiate terms of a deal kept secret from him? deBlasio and Cuomo tried to sneak through a deal so bad they had to hide it from the state senate and city council to skip the normal channels of review and oversight. I’m glad Gianaris is trying to stop a mugging.
Its because of past behavior like this that made it necessary to keep the local moron politicians out of the deal. The are grossly incompetent and dumb as sh!t
Gianaris and Bramer just lost the biggest jobs deal in the history of New York City. 25,000 JOBS!!!
WOW!
LOL MUST BE ALL THE REALTORS WRITING ALL THESE FAKE POST.. SADDAY FOR THEM ONLY AND INVESTORS WHO SUCKED UP ALL THE CONDOS AT A PREMIUM. AMAZING GIVING AMAZON MONEY TO THE RICHEST MAN ON THE PLANET GO SOUTH AMAZON!!
Totally agree. I bet a lot of posters here are greedy real estate speculators and brokers. You can ask Seattle how Amazon ruined what was a nice place to live by bringing in overcrowding and overbuilding.
Agreed! I bet these are all realtors and developers commenting here. So transparent.
They don’t want to have to give refunds to those Amazon employees who bought apartments before the announcement.
Man, the paranoia is strong with this group! ?
You’re probably one of them. Most Native New Yorkers (myself included) can usually spot bullsh*t from a mile away
This is coming from a person that won’t even use a name. You sound like the king of bullsh*t
Jimmy Van Bramer and Mike Gianaris will be remembered as the two politicians that killed 25,000 jobs for NYC. They better start looking for new careers.
Yeah, for promotions. Maybe run for governor and mayor to replace the two criminals who hatched this bad deal in secret.
Gianaris and Jimmy Van Bramer just cost us 25,000 good jobs. Jobs that would of fed a lot of families. Jobs that would of been there for many Queens children graduating school. Jobs that would of generated a lot of tax revenue.
SHAME ON YOU BOTH!
Long island City was already charging high rents way before Amazon said they were coming and the politians all kept quiet. More than half of construction going on in neighborhood is non Union and I know for a fact some are hiring illegals and paying 10.00-11.00 an hour way under pay scale for job being done. And still they kept there mouths shut. What a shame we list all these jobs.
The only ones opposed to this are politicians who didn’t get their way and unfortunately they have the resources to project their opinion which is tainting all of this. TRUST me they are not speaking on behalf of their constituents. The majority of the residents and those in the neighboring communities approve of this. 50 people who show up to a rally do not represent the 100,000+ people that live in the area.
It’s not only about the 25,000 lost jobs, it’s about improving the quality of life in Queens. There’s a desperate need to offset the growing number of illegal aliens and their anchor babies with a taxpaying population.
Queens will not be able to sustain a growing population that works illegally, but is consuming public services and resources they aren’t paying for through income taxes.
Shame on these “progressive” politicians.
I was hopeful that Queens had a bright future for everyone and not just for the “anti-ICE” crowd.
25000 jobs to be filled by mostly by outsiders not locals.
Nice try Mr. Landlord.
@Landlords Love Amazon
I’m not a landlord, just a regular person living in Jackson Heights who’s sick of seeing most areas of Queens continually going down the drain…by the way, I was born and raised here.
This borough is in desperate need of economic and social development for everyone.
Oh not a landlord, just a racist ok.
If you have immigrants and love ICE maybe Jackson Heights isn’t the place for you. Maybe good riddance?
@from Sunnyside
Please learn the difference between an immigrant and an illegal alien. They aren’t the same.
It’s not racist to expect people to come here legally.
MG and JVB only care about votes from a small subset of their constituents. They are extremely selfish and don’t care one bit about the long term good of the community. As others have said, all they do is create issues with no viable solutions. Shame on them for trying to get in the way of economic progress for the city. God forbid if Amazon decides not to come to LIC, other companies might decide to stay away as well so as not to deal with these problem creators. And then, as others have said, come the homeless shelters, strip clubs, prostitutes, drug addicts and all the bad things associated with an area with high vacancy and no jobs. People need to wake up. MG and JVB don’t care about you. They only care about themselves and getting re-elected. It is so sad that they do what is best for them at the expense of the community. Shame on them.
i guess were relying on the former bartender to fire up those wind farm jobs in the bronx, cant wait!!
Oh, I’m sorry. Do you have solar on your roof? If you don’t then maybe hold off on talking smack about green jobs, okay?
Congratulations BRAMER & GIANARIS on killing 25,000 JOBS!!! Bing thanks from the community!
Thanks Jimmy Van Idiot. appreciate you trying to destroy a good thing for political gain.
I take offense to all who say the Van Bramer and Giannaris are the voice of all LIC residents .
THEY ARE NOT MY VOICE. I WELCOME AMAZON TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
Don’t be so presumptuous. Most LIC residents welcome Amazon, they are busy working and so t have time like Giannaris and his losers to protest all day against 25000 jobs .
You are all idiots
By the way I am born and raised in LIC and raised my kids in LIC and they are also living in LIC along with my sisters and extended family.
Giannaris, Ocasio and the rest of the protesters who obviously are not native LICer don’t remember the LIC or the 80’s. Strip joints, hookers and drugs
Is that what you want ! Idiots
We all welcome Amazon and the opportunities they bring
And they should get a tax break
Get with the program and the progress
I too am an LIC resident who is welcoming the Amazon development. As JVB & co are proudly sharing stats on the number of constituents reaching their offices either for and against the deal, it is important that we all find ways to get our voice heard, and I am reaching out to the offices. Silent majority no more, this is such an embarrassment, and killing this deal won’t magically solve other issues they rightfully care about.
What exactly are these people “saving”? Decrepit zones of the neighborhood that are just sitting empty? God forbid this would develop into something useful? And these Van Bramer and Gianaris clowns are suddenly SO concerned about development, but meanwhile haven’t said a damn word in years to the point I’m barely able to walk around Court Square anymore because developers own the streets and sidewalks now apparently – such hypocrites. The best don’t go into politics anymore – LIC is a shining example.
NY Kids graduating school now have 25,000 LESS tech jobs waiting for them. THANKS BRAMER & GIANARIS
Most of those kids wouldn’t qualify for those jobs anyway. They hire based on qualifications not where people are from. Amazon would hire people from outside of NYC who would eventually push the middle class locals out of NYC.
If that were true they would move to Omaha and force all of the tech talent to move there. LIC is within spitting distance of Cornell’s tech campus on Roosevelt Island.
Gianaris and Van Bramer stripped New Yorkers of 25,000 Amazon JOBS, 3,000 UNION JOBS for Security and Maintenance JOBS, 2,000 UNION construction JOBS and thousands of additional Service JOBS
Gianaris and Van Bramer just gave way 25,000 Amazon JOBS, 3,000 UNION JOBS for Security and Maintenance JOBS, 2,000 UNION construction JOBS and thousands of additional Service JOBS
Gianaris and Van Bramer just killed 25,000 Amazon JOBS, 3,000 UNION JOBS for Security and Maintenance JOBS, 2,000 UNION construction JOBS and thousands of additional Service JOBS
Quiet you spamming lunatic.
Amazon made Seattle too expensive to live in; homelessness skyrocketed and they’ll do the same to us. Keep them out.
The reason why Seattle and San Francisco are so expensive is because they never built any new housing if any appreciable amount for decades. When that happens, people with money will always push out those who don’t.
Let the people with money buy into the new luxury condos or else they will buy up all of the middle-class, single-family homes in the city, whether Amazon shows up or not.
Be real- there’s no shortage of construction jobs in NYC. I’m sure a lot of them are Union.
Is everyone forgetting this was a backroom deal between Governor Corruption Cuomo and Mayor Bill DumBlasio? These so called 25, 00 jobs will be allegedly phased in over 10 years. What about rents doubling for tenants and probably small businesses. Amazon has said it will not let its employees unionize. Gov. Corruption Cuomo just said we have a 2.3 billion dollar state budget hole which will require cutbacks. Jeff Bezos will get a $500 million landing pad for his helicopter meanwhile. LIC will suffer with poor trabsit more overcrowding etc… Why did we give them $3 billion dollars when they don’t need it and did an end around the land use review?????? Think people BAD DEAL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
People keep talking about this $3 billion like it’s cash in a vault. Let’s be clear. There is no $3 billion and if Amazon doesn’t come there will be exactly $0 in corporate tax from Amazon or income tax from those 25,000 employees.
This makes no sense to me, why is 25, 000 jobs a bad thing? if their agenda is to help the homeless why not bargain to incorporate a job training program within Amazon? Why not help each other. Why the hell are we putting politicians like this in power? They are all ego and nothing else. Freaking Dirt Bags and good for nothing scum while they sit with their cushy jobs and we suffer.
Amazing to me that politicians with no real business experience are the ones managing the business environment of NYC. If someone said to them I have a great proven company for decades that if you can invest $3 it will return $30 its a no brainer. You have to invest to make. The city will invest $3 billion to get $30 billion. It will diversify our economic base for decades. Yet the politicians dont really care about their constituents. They just look for ways to act as if they support the people. They look for ways to pull the wool over peoples eyes. How? You just have to scream loud and say I am going to to take from the people that have more money and give it to those will less. That doesnt solve problems, improve our neighborhood, improve our economy. It just forces people willing to invest to leave. We are governed by a bunch of morons sometimes.
I’m glad you’re not picking our reps then since you seem happy to sell the city out. Guess everyone suddenly forgot how dirty Cuomo and deBlasio are. Or that this deal was so bad they had to make it in secret and skip state/city reviews.
Ginaris and JVB. Hope your malpractice insurance is up-to-date.
Unbelievable, simply unbelievable. These politicians are so eager to look “progressive,” to be seen as like that young female socialist politician who hails from exclusive Westchester County (not the Bronx!), they are willing to kill 25,000 jobs! Elections will be here before we know.
God, it’s like Leslie Knope being crucified for being born in Eagleton and not Pawnee.
It’s unbelievable and shameful to be protesting around the neighborhood with a bunch of losers. Where is your brain Giannaris 25000 new jobs to start . Small businesses will have new clients hence new business. It can’t always be thinking about handouts to people who are not working by choice. Think about the community and the middle class who gets screwed from the rich and the poor. I’m not a fan of Cuomo, but this time he’s right. I stand behind him and I welcome Amazon. BTW I am a lifelong resident of LIC. And I welcome the changes It is reviving our neighborhood. What does Ocasio know about the neighborhood. Giannaris I’m surprised at you. You are making yourself look like an idiot
100% correct. LIC retailers are mostly all struggling as the most residents rarely shop/eat here. Rents thru the roof, government raising wages and retailers can barely keep afloat (the ones that have not already had to close). We finally get good news and the 2 lib local politicians want to destroy all hope. Thanks for looking out for your taxpaying, people hiring, working constituents. Oh I forgot we do not count.
Do you realize how the real estate industry works? If Amazon moves in those businesses are done for; landlords let their leases expire, jack the rent exponentially and wait for a richer tenant to replace them. Tell me how many ma & pa corner stores you can find around Amazon’s HQ1 in Seattle.
Everyone who wants Amazon so bad can just give me half their money for the same experience if they want.
Time to start fundraising to defeat them in the next elections.
Yes and Yes…let’s do this…useless politicians
Yes Please
deBlasio and Cuomo aren’t up for reelection so no need
We need new representatives!
Gianaris and Bramer need to go!
You’re absolutely right
Your Voice is Voice of Long Island City Residents!! — The ones that are working hard here & trying make living NOT the ones that trying to make overnight fortune by Amazon coming here!!We are grateful for everything you do continue SPEAK FOR ALL OF US !!!
These small time piker politicians held out their hand for money and Amazon said no.
Sad day for Queens and NY.
Thousands of lost employment opportunities for many that needed it.
These 25,000 jobs are not just any jobs. They are tech jobs of which there are already thousands of unfilled jobs in this city. Tech companies don’t need yet another competitor for skilled software engineers to raise their salaries even higher. If the plan were for 25,000 well differentiated jobs in areas where this city had the talent but not the jobs it would be a different story. Amazon isn’t offering anything this city needs and would be put great stresses on the neighborhoods and businesses that are already stressed.
You’re talking nonsense. We can never have enough good tech jobs. We young NYC kids graduating every year that would kill for those jobs.
Those 25,000 jobs aren’t all coming in year 1. Amazon wouldn’t even be breaking ground on their headquarters until 2020, at the earliest.
This deal is a pipeline for growth. If the local universities see the long-term demand for coders and software engineers, they will supply them.
Thats stupidest logic I’ve ever heard in my entire life- signed a web developer in LIC looking for tech work
Your Voice is The Voice of Long Island City Residents — The ones that are work hard and trying make it here..not the ones that trying to make fortune of Amazon coming here!!
We are grateful for everything you do continue SPEAK FOR ALL OF US !!!
I am born and raised in LIC and they DON’T speak for me. Don’t be so presumptuous !!!!
Welcome to LIC Amazon !
Time are a changing and the wheel of progress is spinning – get with the program or move to a retirement home in Florida.. 25000 jobs and all that brings with it .
Again, you don’t speak for all the residents of LIC
NOT MY VOICE
So, it looks like the moderator is screening out all the anti-Amazon comments. I live in LIC and it is already expensive and crowded enough. I don’t want Amazon to come, and my neighbors mostly feel the same way
I want Amazon to come and most of my neighbors feel the same way
ya’ll know that those 25,000 jobs were not going to be filled by nyc, right? most of those jobs would be filled prior and the rest will not be random positions needing to be filled. any jobs we get from this will be part time positions. what we will get, especially those of us living in sunnyside, astoria, long island city, and woodside is a huge overcrowding on our already crowded morning commute on the 7 train. not to mention a lot of those who will be moving to queens with a car, so even less parking for those native to those neighborhoods i mentioned. so yea, we dont need amazon causing congestion here on our trains and streets.
Are you on crack? Nobody with half a brain moves into western Queens with a car. Any that do, quickly put a For Sale sign in the window when they see that parking is a huge headache.
Some people out there won’t be happy until LIC goes back to the pre 2000 days of shady strip joints, topless hookers and junkies everywhere.
And you have hit the nail on the head!! Why go against progress?? Some politicians are just plain idiots!!
Giving billions to an awful union-busting company for weak non-binding promises is not progress. It’s the same stupid system that’s been failing this city (and country) for decades. Ask anyone from Seattle how bad Amazon was for them.
Your Voice is Voice of Long Island City Residents — The ones that are work hard and trying make living ..not the ones that trying to make fortune of Amazon coming here!!
We are grateful for everything you do continue SPEAK FOR ALL OF US !!
Surely JVB, AOC, et al knows that no multi-national corporation is required to invest billions of dollars in their backyard, so there must be a grand plan to bring even a tenth of the jobs to offset the loss of Amazon??
Surely, Michael Gianeris understands that if Amazon was a ‘bad deal’, then a good deal should not simply be… nothing?
UNEMPLOYMENT IS RECORD LOW. FOR CHRISSAKE SHUT UP ABOUT JOBS. THE SCHOOLS ARE FAILING THE TRAINS AND ARE ROTTING THERE’S NOT ENOUGH HOUSING. This country’s obsession with job creation, even when employment is already high, is why Trump exists. Tired of single-issue voters nose-diving this city/state/country into the toilet.
There is no tech industry in NY so almost all the hires will be non-locals. Jobs will be MOVED here, not CREATED here. They’re already be filled by out-of-towners. Scraps for locals.
And. AND. Gianaris and JVB were KEPT IN THE DARK AND AWAY FROM THE NEGOTIATING TABLE. All you fools mad they didn’t make a counter-offer; THEY LITERALLY WEREN’T ALLOWED TO. Jesus.
The reason why unemployment is so low is because everyone is working two or even three part-time jobs that pay peanuts and no health insurance.
The job participation rate is at a 40 year low as workers that were laid off during the Great Recession have struggled to get back into the job market and instead just checked out. Ageism is also a real thing.
Absolutely ridiculous! It’s time for people to speak up and save this deal. We cannot lose a great opportunity.
I’m hoping all this brinksmanship will result in a better deal for the city — more Amazon investment in infrastructure, for example. It makes me chuckle when people complain the deal will gentrifying LIC. Uh, have you BEEN to the neighborhood in the past five years?
They are not looking to help anyone but themselves.. this is some BS.
If it’s not Amazon someone else will build. LIC is not going to be getting cheaper because Amazon doesn’t move in. Wake up people. You’d rather see more shelters and jails built? I don’t under what is going on here. Amazon said they’d help the community as well. These tax incentives are available and already out there. The city isn’t giving amazon money. With the 25,000 high paying jobs the city would actually collect employee taxes. If I were Amazon I’d go to jersey the talent will travel there. Why fight to get into NYC.
Please write to and/or call your elected officials in support of HQ2!
Senator Michael Gianaris
District Office
31-19 Newtown Avenue Suite 402
Astoria, NY 11102
Phone: 718-728-0960
Fax: 718-728-0963
gianaris@nysenate.org
Assembly Woman Nolan
District Office
47-40 21 Street Room 810
Long Island City, NY 11101
Phone: 718-784-3194
Fax: 718-472-0648
NolanC@nyassembly.gov
Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer
District Office
47-01 Queens Boulevard Suite 205
Sunnyside, NY 11104
718-383-9566 phone
718-383-9076 fax
JVanBramer@council.nyc.gov
Mayor Bill DeBlasio
City Hall
New York, NY 10007
Phone: 212-NEW-YORK
Congresswoman Maloney
31-19 Newtown Ave.
Astoria, NY 11102-1391
Phone: 718-932-1804
Fax: 212-860-0704
Done
100% agree. If you can post here, you can call or email each of these idiots who represent us. All this is is their egos being bruised because they were not in on the deal. Let them know they cannot ever count on your votes again if they kill this deal.
I’m thanking them for keeping the most abusive employer in the country out of Queens and letting them know I have their back.
Not deBlasio. I’m letting him know he doomed his presidential ambitions by throwing our tax dollars away at Jeff Bezos.
“from Sunnyside” aka “Jimmy Van Braker” stop using fake accounts to justify killing 25,000 jobs. You can kiss your political career goodbye!!!
25,000 Amaozon JOBS
3,000 UNION JOBS for security and maintenance for Amazon
2,000 UNION construction JOBS for development.
This is insanity………
New York City and LIC are already gentrifying and becoming too crowded and expensive without Amazon. I hope Amazon just goes away.
I hope you go away along with Bramer and Gianaris
Bramer and Gianaris are letting their ego get in the way of 25,000 jobs. The millennials might find this hard to believe but not too long ago, companies were afraid to come to NYC and good jobs were hard to find. Let’s not revert to the NYC of the 80’s.
More than 100 cities bid for HQ2, so why does Bramer / Gianaris think we have any leverage?
The privilege of employing 25k citizens in, paying taxes to and developing a wide swath of a city that’s increasingly hostile to businesses and upper middle class earners? Disgraceful…
How is NOT getting 25,000 jobs a good thing?
Because these are not jobs that were going to help the average New Yorker anyway. These are jobs that will just attract more people from outside of this city for high paying tech jobs that there are already plenty of. Not to mention shutter many neighboring businesses. There’s nothing about this deal that is actually good for Queens or New Yorkers.
That’s such BS. There are kids from NYC graduating school every year that would kill for those jobs. Amazon was also planning to hire 5,000 union workers for security, maintenance and construction development. In addition to that, we would of saw a need for thousands of additional service jobs. These jobs would of helped many locals and provided the city much needed tax revenue.
I wish people like you were better informed.
Gianaris and Van Bramer saw their opportunity to make themselves national figures and cynically seized it, to the glee of the professional protesters, and the detriment of their constituents (which I am). Nice work.
Shame, Shame, Shame on Ginaris and JVB for killing 25,000 jobs. Now they can focus their attention on developing a jail or homeless shelter for that location.
So sad! All those jobs. Amazon could be a great opportunity for many kids coming out of school.
Hmmmmm. Sounds like a well planned bargaining tactic to change the discussion to the what if they don’t come conversation …. are the local politicians that were once for it, then against it ready to stand firm in their opposition of jobs and development?
Are jobs and tax revenue not a good thing anymore?
Bramer/Gianaris Policies:
YES to homeless shelters!
YES to neighborhood jails!
NO to 25,000 jobs!
And what is wrong with caring for the homeless? So many will rip on immigration policy and say we need to take care of our own and then be up in arms over a homeless shelter. Which is it?
Less jobs means less opportunities for the homeless. Amazon was planning to hire 25,000 plus 5,000 union jobs for security, maintenance and construction plus all the additional service jobs that would of came along with it. Homeless shelters are a short term solution. What most people in that situation need is job training and employment opportunities.
Common Sense is not that common anymore
Yeah Amazon is going to be scooping up the homeless and turning them into programmers. That’s definitely how jobs work. Absolutely brainless.
Amazon should invest in smarter astroturfers.
In addition to programmers, they are planning to hire thousand of people for security, maintenance, construction plus all the additional service jobs in restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, etc.
Not everyone can live for free in their mother’s basement. ?
I don’t want to help anyone who doesn’t want to help themselves.
Plan for your future better and stop waiting for a hand out. Stop saying the city is too expensive and still want to live here. Find other options. Immigrants, get a visa and get on the waiting list instead of cutting the line.
Be honest, User 1. Who would you ever help, besides yourself?
Do you know me? Do you know my background? I’ve had almost nothing and worked my way up from that. Stating the hard facts doesn’t show unwillingness to help. As the saying goes “You give a poor man a fish and you feed him for a day. You teach him to fish and you give him an occupation that will feed him for a lifetime.” Handouts help no one and bring us all down. If it makes you feel better about helping nonprofits and the likes line their pockets you can feel good for a job well done. People should all be responsible for their life choices.
Hi Gary. If you did your research instead of just howl JOBS without any nuanced consideration like every other low-information voter that elects thieves like Cuomo and deBlasio, you’d know that Amazon caused a massive homelessness spike from people being priced out of their homes with nowhere else to go. If you’re really concerned about homelessness, keeping Amazon out is the best thing we can do about it. Happy to help.
Congratulations to Jimmy Van Bramer and Gianaris for probably killing 25,000 jobs. You guys are an absolute disgrace.
25,000 jobs gone! Think about all the families that could of benefited from those jobs. What a disaster!
Disappointing yet not surprising, our so called leaders are good at creating problems not solving them and NYC politicians are the worst. Lived here my whole life and see Amazon as a good thing but was perplexed when they choose NY knowing all the typical nonsense they’d have to deal with (political shakedowns, grandstanding, lawsuits of all sorts except legitimate, labor issues, etc.). If I was them I’d reconsider too and go where they can operate drama free.
Don’t allow them to to squash Your Voice which is our voice …the voice of ppl that you represent ..working class of long island city !! not the ppl that they just looking for instant profit cause the Amazon will jack up the everything in our area!!! As resident of LIC i THANK State Sen. Mike Gianaris, & Jimmy Van Bramer FOR STANDING UP and being voice of our community and not becoming puppet for amazon project!!!
https://nypost.com/2019/02/08/amazon-officials-reconsidering-hq2-in-nyc-due-to-local-opposition-report/?utm_source=maropost&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news_alert&utm_content=20190208&tpcc=nypbreaking&mpweb=755-7614148-719800622
GRANDS? Do you mean grandstanding for their own profile and political gain?
Yay!!! Congratulations!!!
25,000 LESS jobs for NYC!!!
WooHoo ? ? ?
Idiots that all I can say