In November of 2018, Amazon announced its decision on where their new headquarters should be located. Many cities were having talks with the company that finally decided to split its second headquarters between New York City and Arlington, Virginia. My research on the hashtag #hq2 in tweets with high engagement brought up several issues that people are having with the decision and the process in general.
Almost half the jobs in tech don't require a college degree – so 25,000 new tech jobs at Amazon's #HQ2 in the country's most diverse county is a chance to diversify the tech workforce and gets thousands of New Yorkers good jobs in a growing field. #HQ2NYC pic.twitter.com/X8UKKIrpBo
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) November 17, 2018
The Mayor of New York City and his office defend the decision and conditions, they and Amazon agreed on by pointing at jobs and tax revenue, the city will receive.
In New York City, we measure success by how many everyday New Yorkers benefit, and Amazon's #HQ2 will bring us $13.5 billion in tax revenue and as many as 40,000 new jobs — the biggest move of new jobs to our city in our history.
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) November 13, 2018
Many other users hint at issues around the decision and are more critical about them. These issues include the data collection, Amazon was able to assemble during the vetting process for the new headquarters’ location and the resources, that could also help Start-ups and create new jobs without making a big company even bigger.
The big prize #Amazon has gotten out of its #HQ2 stunt is not the PR value of a bunch of city leaders singing its praises, or even the billions of $ in subsidies that it will extort from public coffers.
It’s the data. 1/
— Stacy Mitchell (@stacyfmitchell) November 6, 2018
“Take half the energy and half the capital you were willing to devote to #Amazon and put it towards your startup sector—that will bear far greater fruit over the next 10 to 20 years” https://t.co/mrNZFrBMv7 “Cities have the opportunity to create the next Amazon” #RiseOfRest #HQ2 pic.twitter.com/YMyTLAJWqf
— Steve Case (@SteveCase) November 13, 2018
Additionally, the infrastructure will have to expand when 25.000 new jobs come to Queens.
you ready for #HQ2 ? https://t.co/w6SE6OC39i
— katie honan (@katie_honan) November 13, 2018
And some moral bridges must be crossed by critics of the president’s tax cuts for rich citizens that also support incentives given to Amazon.
I find it difficult to reconcile outrage at Trump’s tax cuts for the rich and praise for #HQ2. The same fallacious argument undergirds both; that public $ will drive the rich to invest in the rest of us. Hasn’t happened before and won’t again. We will #Fight
— Zellnor Myrie (@zellnor4ny) November 14, 2018