Amazon is looking for a second HQ. Why not, Pittsburgh? (Millvale: subdivision, suburbs)

[gladhands]

The only good jobs are high paying jobs for those without skills or education. Is that about right?

[sealie]

Originally Posted by gladhands

The only good jobs are high paying jobs for those without skills or education. Is that about right?

Sure seems that way. Locals only. Population growth is bad. That $156M upgrade to water/sewer infrastructure will be afforded by the salt of the earth Pittsburghers. Anybody who posses specialized skills is a snobby elite.

[jea6321]

Originally Posted by eliza61nyc

increased money from where? that's the problem. so many cities are promising Amazon the sun, moon and stars. supposedly one city in NJ promised to exempt all it's employees from state income tax. and of course they are all promising Amazon huge tax breaks. so exactly where is the money going to come from. that is the concern.

Now amazon has promised to bring in jobs but they have already admitted that the big paying jobs (100k+) will likely be Amazon employees transferring in.

I'm taking a wait and see approach. we have an amazon fulfillment center here in Southern NJ and Philly. they are pretty low wage $13/ hour to maybe 20 bucks a hour. are we giving up a whole lot for more low wage jobs?

An influx of people and jobs creates an abundance of other ancillary jobs and micro economies. All these people have to eat, sleep, buy things, get hair cuts, go to doctors, etc, etc, etc. When money is spent on just about anything, tax dollars are received, more people, more spending, more taxes. The businesses that do better may have to expand, or new businesses can open because the demand is there. More jobs and an expanding economy is where money comes from. Jobs are the epicenter of it all.

HQ2 is NOT a fulfillment center. we already have one in Pittsburgh as well. HQ2 is going to be mainly mid-upper level corporate white collar jobs. I doubt the vast majority will end up paying 100k+ ( especially if it ends up in Pittsburgh) but they will most likely be mainly over 70k and probably a lot will be 80k+. COL in Pittsburgh is cheaper than a lot of other cities, and a large influx of 70-100k+ yearly employees would be a huge boon to our region.

This COL is a big selling point for Pittsburgh. if a company can pay thousands of people 10-20-30% less per year than if they located to another city, its an incredible yearly add to the bottom line.

take Pittsburgh vs Atlanta. Atlanta is approx 16% higher COL. With roughly 20k employees average over the first say 5 years for HQ2. By saving 16% per employee Amazon saves 1.6B in payroll, not to mention the savings in employer payroll taxes. Compared with Boston, for a comparable standard of living Amazon would need to pay about 42% more. A 5 year payroll difference of around 3.6B. These are huge numbers that absolutely need to be and will be considered in the decision.

[PghYinzer]

And with all that new money Pittsburgh can finally focus on the toast and foie gras issues of the city.






You get a bike lane! You get a bike lane! Everyone gets a bike lane!

[tyovan4]

Originally Posted by szug-bot

unless Dan Gilman finds heartfelt ways to redistribute it to people who fail in life

Classic, love it!

Originally Posted by UKyank

I agree that the city needs to sort their priorities in what they address but anything that would bring in (potentially a lot) of revenue and/or jobs is a gift horse the city needs.

But eliza raises an interesting point:

Originally Posted by eliza61nyc

increased money from where? that's the problem. so many cities are promising Amazon the sun, moon and stars. supposedly one city in NJ promised to exempt all it's employees from state income tax. and of course they are all promising Amazon huge tax breaks. so exactly where is the money going to come from. that is the concern.

Local government is subverting the Right To Know law by refusing to disclose the financial incentives offered to Amazon to locate here. So how can we really heap praise on the tax revenues that Amazon will bring, when we can't know what kind of tax exemptions our local leadership has promised them???

Originally Posted by PghYinzer

And with all that new money Pittsburgh can finally focus on the toast and foie gras issues of the city.

You get a bike lane! You get a bike lane! Everyone gets a bike lane!

LMAO!

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by PghYinzer

And with all that new money Pittsburgh can finally focus on the toast and foie gras issues of the city.






You get a bike lane! You get a bike lane! Everyone gets a bike lane!

Can I get one out in the Great White North, too?

[sealie]

Originally Posted by Copanut

Can I get one out in the Great White North, too?

You know, for all the abuse that the soulless GWN gets, Wexford out behind the Market District is as “walkable” as most of the city. Run piles of errands w/o having to touch hwy 19, walk to the health club. You could integrate bike lanes with that kind of development if we ever get past the “bike lanes are for urban elitists” divisive bs.

[gladhands]

Originally Posted by sealie

You know, for all the abuse that the soulless GWN gets, Wexford out behind the Market District is as “walkable” as most of the city. Run piles of errands w/o having to touch hwy 19, walk to the health club. You could integrate bike lanes with that kind of development if we ever get past the “bike lanes are for urban elitists” divisive bs.

Are there sidewalks?

[Paul2421]

Originally Posted by gladhands

Are there sidewalks?

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ma...!4d-80.0541815

there are. i don't see how bike lanes are necessary though.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by gladhands

Are there sidewalks?

Yep.

There’s sidewalks in a lot of the GWN these days and have been for a long time.