princess-smartypants t1_jdvzhj1 wrote on March 27, 2023 at 4:31 PM

Reply to comment by Laurenann7094 in Is there any way to find out what kind of subsidies/considerations Amazon received for the warehouses and half built Amazon Freshes that are sitting empty all over the state? by Happy_rich_mane

I can't speak for Revere, but I live in another town with a soon to be million square foot distribution center. The Town did not offer Amazon anything. Amazon presented a proposal, the Select Board reviewed it, and the entire town had the opportunity to vote on it. Amazon "negotiated" a ten year phase in of full property taxes, in exchange for the location agreement. Amazon also paid the Town something like $500,000 for local impacts, agreed to fund some street/traffic improvements at their two driveways, gave a substantial donation to a neighboring non-profit nature center, and also promised money for a bandstand. If we did not agree, they would take their proposal to a neighboring town.

Towns prefer business over residential housing. Housing brings families with kids, whose property tax contribution is a net negative with respect to the cost to educate kids. *Spelling

nieuweyork t1_jdw6ndp wrote on March 27, 2023 at 5:17 PM

> Amazon "negotiated" a ten year phase in of full property taxes

That's a subsidy net of whatever the upfront payment is (that's actually paid).

princess-smartypants t1_jdwl5rr wrote on March 27, 2023 at 6:49 PM

Sure, but my point was the town didn't offer it. It is what they settled on.

thedeuceisloose t1_jdzufd4 wrote on March 28, 2023 at 12:18 PM

knowing how amazon does things, have fun when they prematurely shutter it to avoid the graduated tax increases!

princess-smartypants t1_je1hows wrote on March 28, 2023 at 6:57 PM

Yeah, I asked at the public hearing what provisions there were for abandoned giant buildings when they inevitably vacate, but no one had a good answer. New England is full of abandoned mills, and towns can pay big bucks to maintain/demolish/clean them up.