ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A leading critic of New York subsidies for Amazon's plan to build a second headquarters in Queens has been nominated to serve on a state board with the power to reject the project.
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins announced Monday that she has recommended Queens Sen. Michael Gianaris to serve on the five-member Public Authorities Control Board. Each member of the little-known board would have the authority to block billions of dollars in tax credits and direct subsidies.
Gianaris has called the idea of giving big subsidies to a company as wealthy as Amazon "offensive."
Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo backs the project and could reject Gianaris' nomination.
In a statement, Cuomo's director of communications said opposition to the project is short-sighted given estimates that it will generate 25,000 or more jobs.
