To its credit, the News Journal, tried to ferret out details of the state’s bid for the Amazon headquarters (HQ2) with a Freedom of Information Act request.
What it got back was a document that was heavily redacted by the Carney Administration, which cited nondisclosure requirements from Amazon.
Delaware is not alone in its reluctance to share details. Officials around the country have been closed-mouthed about their bids, but in some jurisdictions, ballpark estimates have surfaced.
One suspects that the leaks are a way for government officials to let the world know about the seriousness of the effort. Here is a story on the incentives, which run into the billions of dollars.
In the case of Delaware, leaks have been few, perhaps because the dollar figure would not be that impressive. It is also possible have been that News Journal no longer has the veteran reporters who might have been able find a “deep throat” to provide an estimate.
For what it’s worth, a “back of the envelope” calculation, based on past packages would seem to indicate that the state could pledge more than half a billion dollars.
The bulk of that money would come on the premise that paying $10,000 or so per job to Amazon would lead to a relatively quick payback from income taxes paid by workers.
That offer might not impress Amazon , which is based in Washington, one of a handful of states without an income tax. A leading contender for HQ2 is oil-rich Texas, which also has no income tax and lots of raw land.
None of this is intended as criticism of efforts by the state, New Castle County and the City of Wilmington to land Amazon at sites in Wilmington, Claymont and north Wilmington.
The work that went into the bid can be repurposed for other projects. It is possible and perhaps likely that other companies will undertake smaller versions of HQ2.
Still, a leak or two might have actually been helpful in keeping the public in the loop.
Have a great weekend. The newsletter returns on Monday. – Doug Rainey, publisher.
