Albany, NY–In response to the announcement of Amazon’s withdrawal from New York City, Jessica Wisneski, Co-Executive Director of Citizen Action of New York, has issued the following statement:
“Amazon’s decision to withdraw their HQ2 proposal sends a clear message: People are tired of billion dollar corporations extorting massive tax breaks from our communities. Giant corporations and their billionaire CEOs need to pay their fair share like the rest of us.
“We’ve learned time and time again that prosperity for working people won’t come from handing out tax breaks to Jeff Bezos and his billionaire friends. That’s the lie that’s been sold to us for decades and fueled runaway inequality.
“After Trump’s $1.5 trillion tax scam that gave massive tax breaks to corporations and the ultra rich, New York must demand the billionaire class pay their fair share so we can fully and equitably fund our public schools, putting a $1.6 billion down payment on Foundation Aid in this year’s budget.
“Today is a huge victory for our labor and community allies and elected leaders like State Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, State Senator Mike Gianaris, and the entire Queens delegation, who took a powerful stand against Amazon’s shameful corporate greed. It shows that organized, people-powered opposition can take on the richest person on Earth–and win.”
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