Local governments refuse to disclose offers for new Amazon headquarters: report

A number of local governments around the country are refusing to disclose the tax breaks they’re offering to Amazon as it sorts through applications to host its second U.S. headquarters, The Associated Press reported Thursday.

Officials from more than 15 states and cities including Chicago, Las Vegas and Cleveland declined requests by the AP to detail the financial incentives they have offered the e-commerce giant as it searches for a new location.

Some officials said they would not disclose their Amazon offers in order to maintain a competitive edge over other applicants, the AP reported.

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Amazon received 238 proposals after it announced it was searching for a location for its new headquarters. The company promised that its HQ2 program would bring $5 billion in construction projects and 50,000 jobs.

Several locations have revealed lucrative incentives for the $600 billion company. According to the AP, New Jersey offered Amazon $7 billion in tax breaks, Houston offered $268 million and Boston put forward a proposal that included $75 million for housing for Amazon workers.

The AP said Chicago declined to reveal details about its proposal, saying it “could give an advantage to another applicant” — a refrain that was echoed by Charlotte, N.C.

Texas cities like Dallas, Houston and Austin responded to the AP’s information requests by asking the state attorney general if they were legally required to disclose the financial details of their offers.

Other cities that declined to provide information to the AP included Detroit; Philadelphia; Orlando, Fla.; and Louisville, Ky.

States like Delaware, Kansas, Virginia, Nevada and Georgia also refused to reveal what they offered the company.