New York City is characterized by its thriving arts and sciences institutions, vibrant diversity, and close proximity to centers of trade and capital, such as the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ.  Thus, the “City that Never Sleeps,” along with the suburban areas surrounding the city, are often very appealing to not only people, but also companies looking to expand.

For the most part, after learning that Amazon decided to create a second headquarters in Queens, New Yorkers were ecstatic.  Although New York City has made efforts to expand the technology industry over the past few decades, tech giants have been mainly on the west coast, especially in cities like San Francisco and Seattle.

Supporters of the move, such as Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo, felt that Amazon’s move could change that trend and allow for New York to compete.

“Amazon would have created numerous high-paying jobs in the New York area, catalyzing the growth of New York’s tech sector,” said senior Ben Goldstein.

However, despite the fact that the polls show an overwhelming support among New Yorkers for the decision, many politicians, such as Congress Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, State Senator Michael Ginaris, and former city council member Melissa Mark-Viverito, tried to galvanize New Yorkers against the move.

Consequently, on Feb. 13, Amazon retracted their decision to build a New York headquarters, citing the fact that a number of state and local politicians made it obvious that they very strongly oppose the company’s presence and are unwilling to work with them to build the type of relationship that must be present to go forward and make effective progress.

Acknowledging the potential benefits of Amazon moving to New York, Governor Cuomo has been traveling around the state making speeches to get the tech giant to reconsider. As students, it is imperative that we support the governor’s efforts because we are the future work-force, and because our generation is the one that will reap the benefits.

These benefits include the creation of 25,000 jobs, where the median pay will be approximately $150,000.  As the demand for workers who majored in computer science and engineering continues to increase, there will be a steady supply of jobs as Amazon continues to grow.

Additionally, Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s CEO, announced that the company would be spending upwards of $5 billion on infrastructure alone, creating opportunities for blue-collar construction workers.   

“It’s important that we evaluate the potential net gains and losses of Amazon potentially moving [to New York].  In the long term, all of the jobs created will generate billions of dollars for the state’s economy,” said freshman Kevin Taylor.  

The job creation which Amazon can fuel would quickly cancel out the $3 billion of monetary incentives offered by the state, which is the primary concern of the opposition to Amazon’s move.  For example, in just six years, the company invested $38 billion into Seattle’s economy.

Lastly, the move would allow for small businesses to expand and become more competitive across all industries.  With the influx of people moving into the tri-state area, including Nassau County, local businesses would be provided with potential consumers, allowing them to grow their own companies and create more opportunities for New Yorkers.

Although Amazon’s decision to find a different city seems like it will have no effect on the student body of Schreiber, its importance cannot be stressed enough.  Within less than a decade, current students will be graduating college, entering the workforce or trying to start their own business.  By neglecting to join Governor Cuomo in his campaign to get Amazon to come, we would be depriving ourselves, and our future children, of opportunities to succeed in the future.