Amazon collects tens of millions in incentives, but progress is unclear,
Amazon, the online retail giant, is adept at maximizing tax breaks and other subsidies when it develops or expands facilities across the country, and its Tennessee properties are no exception.
The company was awarded $30 million in property tax breaks from three counties for up to 20 years, and $14.9 million in state grants for infrastructure or job training at its five Tennessee distribution facilities, state records show.
But it’s unclear if the company fulfilled its promises to create thousands of jobs in exchange for those incentives.
As of December, Amazon’s reporting of data to the state showed it’s short of job commitments in three of the five facilities. The company still has one to three years, depending on the facility, to create the new jobs it promised.
In Wilson County, where it was awarded a $3.3 million tax break to create 800 jobs at a fulfillment center, county officials said they don’t know if Amazon delivered.
The director of the Joint Economic & Community Development Board of Wilson County said the agency has no staff and other pressing issues besides tracking jobs. The county’s policy requires monitoring.
A company representative said Amazon employs 5,500 full-time employees in the state, with health insurance and other benefits.
Some criticize officials for giving Amazon subsidies because the company would need to build distribution facilities in Tennessee to serve its growing customer base, whether or not it received incentives.