As soon as The Washington Post reported that several unnamed Amazon executives said the company was reconsidering making Long Island City in Queens their second headquarters due to backlash from activists and politicians crying foul at this sweetheart deal, cities across the country began salivating at the fact that they could potentially take advantage of this development to lure the promise of 25,000 white collar jobs.
One such idea was a two state solution that would split Amazon HQ2 between The Bronx and Stamford, Connecticut suggested by Joe McGee, Vice-President of the Business Council of Fairfield County in Southwest Connecticut.
CT Post reports:
Lamont isn’t the only one mobilizing. In Stamford, Joe McGee, vice president of the Business Council of Fairfield County, worked the phones Friday — and took calls from people with the same idea — to formulate what could be a very innovative, 13th-hour bid.
“The Bronx and Fairfield County. Who would ever put that marriage together? They want to grow, and we’re all on the New Haven rail line,” McGee said. “Let’s be crazy and talk about a two-state solution.”
And crazy talk it is as Amazon already rejected our borough as well as Stamford so why would they consider them together?
Sure we’re about to be connected even more so to Connecticut than ever with four new Metro North stations to be constructed in the East Bronx but it’s abundantly clear that The Bronx doesn’t have the space they’re looking for.
But all that is besides the point. These are hi-tech jobs paying roughly $150,000 a year which maybe just a tiny fraction would go to local employees who QUALIFY (this is the key word here, folks).
Why would we in our right minds want to wish that upon The Bronx which would only destroy our borough via gentrification like we’ve never imagined would happen here despite it already gaining a foothold.
So to McGee we say thanks for thinking of us but no thanks.
We’ve seen what horrendous neighbors Amazon has been on their home city of Seattle and how they made affordable housing an even bigger crisis.
The Bronx already has the highest rates of evictions in NYC and we don’t want to contribute to that even more so.
Wishful thinking but nope. Ain’t gonna happen.
