Amazon HQ2 Created No Virginia Jobs Last Year, Vindicating Critics
New data suggests skepticism regarding Amazon’s HQ2 project may have been justified, as the company created no jobs at its Arlington, Virginia location last year, thus forfeiting state workforce grant incentives. This hiring slowdown follows earlier indications that the HQ2 buildout has not met initial projections, with the company falling short of its goal to create 10,000 jobs by 2024. These developments echo concerns previously raised by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who, along with activists, opposed the project’s initial New York City location, citing concerns about taxpayer subsidies for a wealthy corporation.
John Q. Hosedrinker