AFP-North Carolina Demands Transparency from Gov. Cooper on Amazon HQ2
As a candidate, Gov. Roy Cooper portrayed himself as a champion of the little guy, railing against “corporate giveaways and tax cuts for the wealthiest [that] come at a high cost for middle class families.”
Today, Gov. Cooper has changed his tune. Since taking office, he has committed to spend over $167 million in taxpayer money on special interests, including a total of $65 million in tax giveaways for Credit Suisse and Infosys last summer.
The governor claims these deals are necessary to “attract major businesses and manufacturing to our state.” These claims are false.
North Carolina has one of the best business climates in the country, according to the Tax Foundation. The Tar Heel State also has the third best economic outlook in the country, according to the American Legislative Exchange Council.
North Carolina should continue pursuing bold, pro-growth policies that strengthen the Tar Heel economy and naturally incentivize companies and consumers to move to and do business in our state.
Gov. Cooper’s Tar Heel Tax Incentives for Amazon
Gov. Cooper hasn’t finished spending our tax dollars on corporate welfare yet.
Now, Gov. Cooper wants to lure Amazon’s HQ2 to Raleigh, promising the company generous taxpayer-funded incentives.
Yet the governor has still not revealed just how much this sweetheart deal with Amazon will cost North Carolinians. North Carolina taxpayers deserve transparency.
On behalf of all North Carolinians, Americans for Prosperity – North Carolina has filed an open records request to reveal the amount the governor and state agencies are offering Amazon to set up their second headquarters in North Carolina.
In the letter, AFP-North Carolina Deputy State Director Anna Beavon states,
The Governor and his administration have been using taxpayer dollars like a credit card with an unlimited balance leaving the taxpayers of North Carolina to foot the bill. North Carolinians have the right to know the extent to which their hard-earned paychecks are being offered to lure this multi-billion-dollar company to our state.
Read AFP-North Carolina’s full letter here.
The Problem with Corporate Welfare
Wealthy corporations like Amazon can afford to operate and hire employees on their own. They don’t need to take money from hard-working North Carolinians to grow their businesses. Corporate welfare does not help taxpayers – it hurts them.
It’s time for Gov. Cooper and North Carolina lawmakers to end their Reverse Robin Hood corporate welfare scheme and side with Tar Heel taxpayers instead of special interests.
