U.S. northern city of Chicago is offering more than two billion U.S. dollars in tax breaks in its effort to bid for the online retailer giant Amazon's second headquarters.
The State of Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and four legislative leaders worked together to craft the package, and have conveyed the message to Amazon executives in an official letter which was obtained by the Chicago Tribune.
According to the letter, the package includes 1.32 billion U.S. dollars in EDGE tax credits, which is an incentive to businesses to support jobs creation, capital investment and to improve the standard of living; 172.5 million dollars in sales tax and utility tax exemptions from the state; 61.4 million dollars in property tax discounts from Cook County and Chicago; and 450 million dollars in infrastructure spending from the Illinois Department of Transportation, Chicago Department of Transportation, Chicago Transit Authority and other agencies.
Chicago city, Cook County and Illinois state have also committed to spend at least 250 million dollars in education, workforce development and city economic development grants.
"Everything offered in round one of the Amazon bid is consistent with current state law," Rauner's spokeswoman Patty Schuh said in a statement.
"The state offered nothing for free. We continue to believe we are the best location based on educated workforce, innovation networks, and transportation infrastructure and look forward to working with Amazon," Schuh said.
Amazon said on Monday it had received 238 proposals from cities and regions across North America hoping to host the company's second headquarters.
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