[tomtimtall]

They’ll still get subsidies, just somewhere. The system being what it is, you can’t fault them for finding the fair market price of setting up their campus at you location. It’s a mutually beneficial deal, but now Mew York gains nothing at all.

That said the system could be changed and laws written to prevent subsidies all together. Then competition for large workforces would be based on other factors.

[CPLX]

New York does gain something, the much more vibrant and robust collection of businesses that will occupy that area instead and pay their fair share of taxes.

[quxbar]

You really have no idea what LIC is like, do you? They're completely unable to support small businesses except those that cater to the upper-middle class. There is no dollar slice, only $24 gluten-free artisanal pizza. The only business Amazon was going to displace was Citibank.

[CPLX]

I can literally see LIC right now from my window.

If you're tired of $24 pizza consider the cabbie serving south asian places along 21st street, they're fantastic, and yes they're still there.