Queens pols decry Amazon HQ2 deal. Local reps slam talks as secretive and likely to yield lavish tax breaks for $800 billion company.

Crain's New York Business reports:

Two Queens politicians lobbed criticism at the secretive efforts by state and city officials to bring Amazon's second headquarters to Long Island City.

Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer and state Sen. Michael Gianaris issued a joint statement Sunday objecting to a potentially huge package of subsides that could be granted to Amazon as well as the lack of community involvement in the blockbuster deal.

"We're hearing that this could be a billion-dollar package of subsidies," Van Bramer told Crain's. "That's ridiculous given all of the infrastructure challenges we have in this area, including schools, open space, parks, sewers and transit. It's also ridiculous given how wealthy and successful Amazon is. I don't think you need to throw a billion dollars at Jeff Bezos."

Van Bramer said that the $1 billion package is a rumor of what Amazon could receive by taking advantage of various benefits.

In the rent-seeking society: smaller businesses are forced to subsidize the politically connected.