Top 10 Tweets: Queens Responds to Amazon's Arrival

By David Brand

Earlier this week, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that Amazon would set up shop in Long Island City. As a reward for picking LIC, the corporate behemoth — valued at roughly $1 trillion — will also receive more than $3 billion in tax breaks and subsidies.

Over on Twitter, the response wasn’t pretty.

Queens leaders, celebrities, community activists, reporters and everyday residents condemned the corporate welfare and questioned why the city and state would give money to Amazon instead of, say, the decrepit subway system. News also broke that the project could prevent the creation of 1,500 units of desperately needed affordable housing, ramping up existing concerns about rising rents and displacement.

Despite the backlash, many Queens residents have welcomed Amazon, confident in the company’s pledge to generate thousands of job opportunities.

Here are the Top 10 Queens Tweets in response to Amazon’s arrival:

My barber has some thoughts on Amazon coming to Queens pic.twitter.com/z6GsDia4Jx

— Steven White (@notstevenwhite) November 16, 2018

I had to pic.twitter.com/OVSQ5WqaIt

— Felipe De La Hoz 📰 (@FelipeDLH) November 16, 2018

“The wheelbarrow full of tax subsidies looks even worse than we thought...Why should there be any subsidies at all to get a company to come to one of the most desirable business locations in the country?” https://t.co/dkmHR7SIHl

— Christopher Robbins (@ChristRobbins) November 13, 2018

So, let me get this straight: New York is actually PAYING the company that makes billions of dollars fueling the Trump administation's deportation machine TO MOVE INTO THE BOROUGH WITH THE MOST UNDOCUMENTED (& LPR) IMMIGRANTS? gtfoh https://t.co/MuhbL9zfhL

— Max RN (@MaxRivlinNadler) November 13, 2018

This is not a move that will benefit the working class people of Queens.

There is a reason this deal was done in the dark — away from the eyes of the public.

You know whatever 'benefits' #HQ2 brings it will likely come at tremendous cost to the people that are already here

— Lyel Resner (@lyelr) November 13, 2018

NY is giving Amazon $3 BILLION in corporate welfare to put their new new HQ in Queens.

Basically American cities now fight over who can give the most taxpayer money away to the richest companies in the world.

Where's the fight for who can give the most to fund public schools?

— Lee Camp [Redacted] (@LeeCamp) November 14, 2018

Amazon is a billion-dollar company. The idea that it will receive hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks at a time when our subway is crumbling and our communities need MORE investment, not less, is extremely concerning to residents here.

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) November 13, 2018

When we talk about bringing jobs to the community, we need to dig deep:
- Has the company promised to hire in the existing community?
- What’s the quality of jobs + how many are promised? Are these jobs low-wage or high wage? Are there benefits? Can people collectively bargain?

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) November 13, 2018

Must read statement from Queens Neighborhoods United @QueensBarrios on the Amazon HQ2 in Queens: "We will not negotiate our survival and we’ll do everything in our power to shut them down. Our line is clear, fast and unflinching. We will make it impossible for them." pic.twitter.com/z6aQ5YSjKb

— Diane Wong (@XpertDemon) November 13, 2018

But at least one Queens institution welcomed the massive corporation:

Welcome to Queens @amazon pic.twitter.com/6H3bYEXsrt

— SNY (@SNYtv) November 14, 2018

So did the spokesperson for the New York City Economic Development Corporation, which is shepherding the Amazon deal:

As a born and raised #Queens girl, it means the world to me that part of HQ2 is coming to #LongIslandCity. These aren’t just 25k jobs, they are career opportunities for the extremely talented youngsters that move NYC forward. #HQ2NYC https://t.co/zKbrutmB8Q

— Stephanie Báez (@Miss__Baez) November 14, 2018

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