Community Organizations Demand Amazon Forgo Corporate Kickbacks From Virginia and Arlington County In Response to COVID-19

As communities across Virginia face the impact of COVID-19, community members in Virginia and partners of the For Us Not Amazon coalition are demanding that Amazon forgo the up to $750 million in corporate kickbacks promised by Virginia legislators and the $51 million the corporation could receive from Arlington County. The increasing spread of the coronavirus in Virginia has led to mass layoffs, the closing of schools statewide, widespread small business closures, and increased community needs, leaving many, especially those in Black and brown, poor and working class communities facing uncertainty and worries about costs of living. The money promised to Amazon would much better serve our communities through contributing to mutual aid efforts, enacting a rent freeze, and providing basic income and unemployment benefits to all those who are struggling because of COVID-19.

While many in Virginia had already been dealing with challenging conditions with housing and increased costs of living, healthcare, and an underfunded education system, Virginia and Arlington County elected officials moved forward with subsidizing Amazon, a trillion dollar corporation. As the anticipated costs of COVID-19 cannot be measured yet, it is clear there will be a huge economic cost from the pandemic. It is only fair for Amazon, owned by the richest man in the world, to do what’s right and forgo all taxpayer-funded corporate kickbacks. Working people and small businesses urgently need these public funds to recover from the economic harm created by the COVID-19 pandemic and the anticipated devastation transferring greater power and wealth to Wall Street.

Community organizations including For Us Not Amazon and supporters are clear: in times like these, our government must prioritize the people it serves and demand more from wealthy corporations like Amazon. We demand Amazon forgo the corporate kickbacks so the state and county can reinvest those funds in our communities where those resources are needed most.