Amazon HQ2: New Yorkers support new campus, poll finds
New Yorkers overwhelmingly support Amazon’s plan to build a new multi-billion dollar campus in Long Island City, even as some local politicians criticize the tax incentives used to lure the e-commerce giant to the Big Apple, according to the results of a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday.
The poll found that 57 percent of New York City residents support Amazon’s arrival in the region, compared to just 26 percent who oppose the deal. Support is even stronger in Queens, the borough where Amazon is planning to reside, with 60 percent of respondents approving of the new headquarters.
City residents are less supportive of the $2.8 billion incentive package Amazon will receive for choosing New York. Forty-six percent of voters were in favor of the package, while 44 percent were opposed.
"While New Yorkers give the thumbs up to Amazon moving one of its new headquarters to Long Island City, they are divided over the sizeable carrot offered to the online retail giant. They are united, however, in their view that New York City should have more of a say about Amazon's plans," said Mary Snow, polling analyst for the Quinnipiac University Poll.
Amazon announced last month that it would divide its highly anticipated second headquarters, dubbed “HQ2,” between Long Island City and Crystal City in Northern Virginia. The e-commerce giant has promised $2.5 billion in direct investments for each of the two regions, as well as the creation of 25,000 high-paying jobs.
New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, both Democrats, spearheaded efforts to bring Amazon to the state. However, other politicians, including U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, State Sen. Michael Gianaris and City Council member Jimmy Van Bramer, have criticized the decision to award tax incentives that could have been used for infrastructure projects or school funding.
Ocasio-Cortez likened New York’s deal with Amazon to “corporate welfare,” while Gianaris and Van Bramer said Amazon had “duped” city and state leaders into a bad deal.
Quinnipiac University polled 1,075 city residents from November 27 to December 4. The poll has a margin of error of 3.8 percentage points.
