WASHINGTON – Congressman Tom Reed, in a letter to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, said the $1.7 billion subsidy deal with Amazone to open a headquarters in New York disparages the state’s already struggling small business owners.
Reed sent a letter to Cuomo offering to help the state lower taxes and set a reasonable regulatory environment for existing businesses.
Reed noted that just this month, New Era Cap announced they would shutter one of their plants and lay off 219 New York residents in order to relocate to Florida. He recommended requiring a three-fifths majority vote of the state legislature to approve any incentive package of the Amazon magnitude.
“These people (current business owners) deserve prioritization over companies like Amazon. They have demonstrated their ability to succeed in the current oppressive business climate of New York State,” Reed wrote.
He want on to quote Cuomo, who said, “It’s not a level playing field to begin with. All things being equal, if we do nothing, they’re going to Texas.”
Reed wrote that it is often the case in which incentives need to be offered to companies to keep them from settling in another state, but said such a process should include thoughtful and diligent legislative review.
