[moby]

The question you're really wanting to ask is "why don't tech companies want to be good corporate citizens?"

It's because of profit. Amazon opposing the per-employee tax that would provide critical city services should help explain exactly where their priorities lie.

[nbantique]

Ed Lee proposed a plan a while back to not base business tax on what we pay our employees but to look at company's revenue/sales amount, and sector. For example schools would have a lower business tax.

He also proposed instead of a flat tax, it would be progressive like income tax. Larger companies would pay a higher effective rate than small ones in the same sector but the Board of Supervisors didn't approve.

The City of SF has trust of over $24 billion and also administers a defined benefit retirement plan for ~65,000 current & retired employees of SF. And the President of the Retirement board who manages 24 Billion I believe is not someone from Goldman or finance background but a police officer?

SF priorities: Get electric bikes and scooters out of SF but create an unsafe city and homeless to walk around naked and dropping their poop and needles everywhere is okay

[refurb]

Did you read the response of Amazon and other companies? It was less "we want higher profits" and "you have enough money, you're just spending it in the wrong places".

[hcknwscommenter]

Ahhh yes. And Amazon has no incentive to mis-characterize the reason they want to lower their tax burden. I dislike the waste of tax money on defense boondoggles. I still pay my taxes.

[refurb]

And so does Amazon. This was a debate over a new head tax for companies.

[s73v3r_]

I would hesitate to say tech companies unduly influencing local elections is anywhere near "good corporate citizenship".

[littlesheephtpt]

I would think having their employees in the office for an extra 2 hours per day because of reduced commute would be more beneficial.

[moby]

Yes, which is why Google was aiming to build nearly 10k homes in Mountain View - which was mostly opposed by local homeowners.

[DrScump]

  mostly opposed by local homeowners

Source? (Hint: how many "local homeowners" even exist on the Bay side of 101?)

[hcknwscommenter]

Which is not even enough homes to begin with. Doesn't google have like 20K employees at HQ, with plans to double or triple that?