Amazon Proposes To Deliver 3,000 Jobs To Florida

June 14, 2013

A month after an announcement that plans had been scrapped for Internet retailing giant Amazon to build at least one warehouse in Florida, Gov. Rick Scott’s office Thursday said a deal is again in the works.

A news release from the governor’s office said the Seattle-based Amazon proposes to create more than 3,000 full-time jobs and pump more than $300 million in investment into Florida by the end of 2016.

“Amazon will continue to work with Enterprise Florida on its ongoing projects which will include a return on any taxpayer investment, and we look forward to the company’s announcements as it chooses locations and creates jobs in Florida,” Scott said in the release.

Also, the release said Amazon would begin collecting Florida sales tax “at such time as it is required under current Florida law” — an issue that has long been controversial with Amazon and other Internet-based retailers.

A spokeswoman for the governor declined to elaborate on what had changed to help lead to a potential deal with Amazon. Also, Amazon officials were not immediately available for comment.

“We thank Governor Scott for his commitment to creating jobs in Florida,” Paul Misener, Amazon vice president of global public policy, said in the release from the governor’s office. “We propose to create more than 3,000 new jobs and over $300 million in investment in Florida, while we work toward enactment of the federal Marketplace Fairness Act, which will protect states’ rights to make their own revenue policy choices.”

The governor’s office said in May that a potential deal had been scuttled, as the two sides were unable to reach an agreement on when Amazon would have to start collecting state sales taxes. The Marketplace Fairness Act is a proposed federal law dealing with taxes on Internet retailers.

Currently, Amazon doesn’t collect Florida sales taxes from state residents who make purchases through the site, but it would likely have to do so if it were to have a physical presence in the state, such as a warehouse.

When the deal was deemed scuttled, Scott spokeswoman Melissa Sellers implied that if the Internet company were to locate in Florida and begin collecting taxes, that would amount to a tax increase on Florida residents who use the popular shopping portal.

In January 2012, officials in the governor’s office said in published reports that they were “aware” of a desire by Amazon to put warehouses in the state, creating as many as 3,000 jobs, in exchange for a two-year exemption from collecting state sales taxes.

The current proposal is still a work in progress, including potential incentives and selection of possible distribution-warehouse locations.

Nancy Blum-Heintz, a spokeswoman for Enterprise Florida, said in an email that additional information regarding the deal remains confidential.

“We look forward to providing additional details as they become public,” Blum-Heintz wrote.

The release from the governor’s office noted the availability of economic development incentives will factor into Amazon’s location decisions.

House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, issued as statement that said he looks forward making “sure this proposal becomes a reality.” Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, in a statement called the proposal “good news,” while he waits to study the details as they “become available over the next few weeks.”

by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida

Comments

6 Responses to “Amazon Proposes To Deliver 3,000 Jobs To Florida”

  1. Randy on June 17th, 2013 5:15 pm

    You will only pay the tax if you buy from Amazon. Do your duty and pay your taxes…

  2. TG on June 15th, 2013 12:19 am

    Now everything you buy from Amazon will be taxed. Enjoy the new job… your going to need it.

  3. FatChance on June 14th, 2013 2:20 pm

    They will go to the county that pays them the most via tax/property breaks. And we all know that Escambia is anti-big business. They only go for low paying jobs to keep the working class poor. There is zero change Amazon will ever come to Escambia/Pensacola area.

  4. CW on June 14th, 2013 2:07 pm

    More than likely they’d end up in central FL (Orlando), that’s where most companies seem to go lately.

  5. Devastating Dave on June 14th, 2013 12:02 pm

    Please God bring jobs to Escambia county! If only Amazon would consider helping one of the poorest counties in Florida. But they will probably set up in Tallahassee or South Florida. I would love to work for Amazon.

  6. Fairlane63 on June 14th, 2013 5:52 am

    More taxes–great!

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News