NEW YORK, NY: Council Member Jumaane D. Williams (D-Brooklyn), Deputy Leader, released the following statement after today's hearing by the Committee on Finance regarding the financial impact of the Amazon HQ2 Deal.
STATEMENT BY COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS
"Neither Amazon nor the City gave a satisfactory answer today to the fundamental questions: Why does Amazon need our money, and why did we offer it to them? In this secret deal, why did the administration sell New Yorkers out?
Amazon has failed even the most basic tests- on its terrible labor practices, on its human rights record. The administration seems willing to overlook these failures. It should come as no surprise that the city is working with Amazon despite reports that they aid ICE- recent reporting and my own personal experience shows that the city is willing to as well.
The admission today that Amazon refuses to remain neutral on any potential unionization of its workers is unacceptable, and indicative of an attitude of treating workers as just another commodity. Their assertion that they would not even entertain the idea of organized labor is at odds with the values of this city. New York City is a union town, and Amazon is not going to change that, no matter what secret deal was struck.
I believe it is disingenuous to label these tax giveaways as 'incentives,' because I believe that for the richest man in the world, these were not truly a deciding factor in the choice to come to New York City. He doesn't need it- but New Yorkers do. If we have the financial flexibility to offer tax credits to a billionaire, we should have the resources to invest in NYCHA, in affordable housing, in small businesses. That- not corporate giveaways and back room bargains- is what New York City needs."
