Imbeciles cost us 500 Microsoft Jobs!!!! (Houston, Center: neighborhood, to buy, school)

[Exult.Q36]

Originally Posted by jd433

The Texas Department Of Economic Development just let a big fish slip away (Microsoft). I cant believe that they only offered 1.3 million in incentives. I'll try to be nice but this is an outrage.
They also let Amazon get away. We may need to dethrone these guys.
Recently The University Of Texas was denied the opportunity to build a Huge Data Research Center because it might create competition for the U of H.
Dont think that Texas doesn't have corruption and politics?.
There are always people in power in this state with personal interests and then they use their position to please a few of their friends.
That's why there is no light Rail on the west side of Houston because of another corrupt politician who snuck a blockage of Light Rail into the federal budget.


https://houstonnewmedia.org/microsof...ad-of-houston/

Where did you get that the state offered only 1.3 million in incentives? Can you please cite your source. I personally have a hard time believing that the state only offered 1.3 million dollars and I’ve searched all over the internet and can’t find any evidence of your claim.

[DabOnEm]

Originally Posted by Exult.Q36

Where did you get that the state offered only 1.3 million in incentives? Can you please cite your source. I personally have a hard time believing that the state only offered 1.3 million dollars and I’ve searched all over the internet and can’t find any evidence of your claim.

It's listed in multiple articles about Microsoft's decision: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/bu...238459408.html

Morrisville was competing with Houston for the jobs, according to the Commerce Department, which approved the incentives during an Economic Investment Committee meeting on Tuesday. Texas was reportedly offering around $1.26 million in incentives... The Morrisville jobs, which will primarily be software development positions, will pay an average minimum wage of $125,354, according to the N.C. Commerce Department.

Texas just didn't care...

[Exult.Q36]

Originally Posted by DabOnEm

It's listed in multiple articles about Microsoft's decision: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/bu...238459408.html

Morrisville was competing with Houston for the jobs, according to the Commerce Department, which approved the incentives during an Economic Investment Committee meeting on Tuesday. Texas was reportedly offering around $1.26 million in incentives.

Texas just didn't care...

Wow Clearly they didn’t. SMH...

[Exult.Q36]

Originally Posted by Jack Lance

I don't know. I had no idea this was even in the works. If you read the article in the OP North Carolina ponied up the lion share of that 13 million dollar package they offered, with the local counties putting up less than 2 million. I'm not a fan of our current Mayor but, I doubt any local agencies here even considered trying to make up that sort of funding gap.

The Governor has been very hands on in other incentive offers and seemed to have been providing leadership in those cases, that was obviously absent during these negotiations...

Clearly....he was very much involved in the Apple & Uber negotiations. I know those projects yielded more jobs but to just bluntly look over 500 jobs from Microsoft that will pay 6 figures is just RUDE. At least offer something competitive.

[a_guerrajr]

I bet I could look at the panel of people and guess why.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by DabOnEm

It's listed in multiple articles about Microsoft's decision: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/bu...238459408.html

Morrisville was competing with Houston for the jobs, according to the Commerce Department, which approved the incentives during an Economic Investment Committee meeting on Tuesday. Texas was reportedly offering around $1.26 million in incentives... The Morrisville jobs, which will primarily be software development positions, will pay an average minimum wage of $125,354, according to the N.C. Commerce Department.

Texas just didn't care...

Sounds like North Carolina overpaid. 10 times more than the next competitor?

[DanielWayne]

Ok I got a good chuckle out of the implication that UH was able to out-politic and out-corrupt the University of Texas system. That's rich. The UT system has pushed around UH for decades, and the one time UH pushes back they are the devil incarnate. And it's doubly ironic to mention Texas (as in UT) and politics/corruption in the same sentence. I won't go into the doctoral dissertation of why the Trojan horse data center was a ruse and a bad idea, but safe to say even the Texas Senate Committee on Finance thought it was a terrible idea, so be glad they didn't allow the out-of-control UT system to waste your taxpayer dollars on redundant infrastructure. Senate meeting

Houston lost Amazon because Houston didn't meet the criteria. It was way out of Houston's hands from the beginning. League City made it to the 2nd round with a proposal for development on some waterfront property on Clear Creek, but Amazon had a list of things where their criteria was not met. Like public transportation. The point is, nobody in the Houston area was ever in the running so it was not Houston's to lose in the first place.

I agree the Microsoft thing was stupid on Houston's part. At least from what have read so far.

I'm not sure how these three things are tied together though.

[DabOnEm]

It's like people don't understand how these things can correlate. Somehow one of the top 8 largest metro areas, which also happens to be one of the youngest (and has high fertility rate by US standards) is adequately served by having just one large public uni named after the city. Meanwhile, other cities in the state have multiple universities. What has this helped lead to for the other areas? More diverse economies. My options for the local kids to stay in town rather than moving away and deciding to start their business there (like Dell).

Houston still has a small town and loser mentality at times that it needs to shake. Demand better from the local politicians and you'll get better. But seems many are cool with just treading water.

[jfre81]

I lived not too far from Morrisville, NC for a bit in the mid-aughts.

It makes sense for them to be there. They can poach workers from all the other tech over there in RTP. That built-in pool isn't in Houston. That built-in pool isn't in Houston because there aren't opportunities for them in Houston like they are in the Research Triangle or Austin or Silicon Valley or some other place that's not Houston.

It's a vicious cycle, and it's not something that corporate welfare is going to fix on its own.

[elnina]

Originally Posted by AcresHomes44

There are people in power who have NO BUSINESS being in authority. Do folks realize the economic impact that Microsoft, Amazon or the Data Research Center from UT could've had on the city? I guess we'll never know. Someone's loss is another's gain.

I would not cry about the loss of Amazon. It's a terrible place to work.